Loki: Fall of Innocence
by KatKing1979
Summary: When you run Drugs for the Russian Mafia through the streets of Seattle, you truly don't think your life could possibly get any more bizzare. Ripped from her life and into another world, Lilliana has to learn to trust her own instincts in order to survive. Now the girl no one wanted is hunted, and is running from Asgard to Washington State to survive. Can Loki survive her though?
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note:

All of the science in the following text is accurate, with some creative liberties. The Geology of the Pacific Northwest is unique in itself, and the descriptions of the places in Seattle are accurate as well

I suggest the book: A Crack at the Edge of The world by Simon Winchester, as it is a great book about the seismic history of the world.

Yellowstone is an active Super Volcano, and there is evidence that it has erupted in the past. The USGS labels an eruption an Extinction Level Event.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone at the time of writing this book is in a Slow Slip Event, but has not ruptured on the fault line. Lets hope it stays that way.

Cloud Atlas is an excellent book written by David Mitchell, and I highly recommend the book as an interesting source of insight into the human condition. The book has a poetry to the writing style, and is not an easy read.

The Martian is hilarious, if you have not read it, you are a fool.

I speak and read Latin. The language is used accurately.

This book is for my son, who told me that I should make up more stories to tell him when I get bored.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Prologue:

The night was cold, and the stars even colder in the October sky above her as she sat in the leaves, Halloween candy strewn in the dead leaves around her as she looked down at her torn pink princess costume and the flames from the engulfed car spread out. Unchecked from the wreck she had been ejected from, there was blood on her too and she was not sure where it had come from. The flames fascinated the violet eyed child, and she watched as they danced across the burning vehicle, her mind lost in the echoes of screams that haunted the night. Echoing shrieks of pain that made her slap her hands over her ears, doing anything to drown them out and make them end.

The screams did eventually stop, her father was the only occupant left in the car after she had been thrown free. She looked away from the spectacle in front of her, eyes searching the leaves and she found a wrapped Snickers in the brush. She reached out and picked it up, unwrapping the candy bringing it up to her mouth and chewing slowly. The cold mist that settled over the grass and dry leaves seeped into her clothes and soon the rain came to put the fire out, but it was not really rain. It was something else, but it was still so cold.

Strobe blue and red flashes illuminated the trees around her as she sat where she was like a frightened animal, she ducked around a tree and hid behind it shaking from the screaming sirens and men who walked back and forth in the darkness. Soon a flashlight beam found her and she started shaking against the tree she used for shelter, the small girl lost in the woods, now found by the monsters. She picked up a lollipop and unwrapped it as she sat there and put it into her mouth, the primitive part of her mind giving up and accepting her fate as they approached.

"I found a girl! A child!" The cop with the light called out and he ran over to her as firemen turned their attention away from the burning wreck, she looked into the green eyes of the red haired cop and waved a small hand up to him. His touch gentle as he coaxed her out of hiding and into his arms, she whimpered and tried to hide again but let the man take her.

A heavy blanket was wrapped around her, and she felt herself being lifted and put in an ambulance, where the cop and three other men stared at her. She looked up at them and said nothing, crawling back into her young mind and burying her small frame under the blanket for the illusion of security.

"What is your name sweetie?" The paramedic asked her and tried to take the candy from her. The girl lashed out and slapped at the hands violently, wrapping her little hand around the stick of the lollipop and she growled at the man. She glared up at them, and dared them to advance again. It was her candy and she worked for it, walking door to door and holding her pumpkin bucket up proudly.

"Let her keep it man, she has been through a lot." The other paramedic said, another cop walked to the back of the ambulance and looked in at the small child. He smiled at her trying to look friendly, but she shivered and pulled the blanket up over her nose. She sat and endured a cut on the back of her hand being cleaned and bandaged, but never said a word or whimpered in pain. Her eyes followed everything that was done carefully though, not missing a single detail.

"One male in the car, she must have been thrown from the vehicle on impact. She got a name?" The cop asked, and everyone around her shook their heads, the excitement of finding the surviving child in the middle of a horrific scene wearing off. Only the question of her identity was there, and she was not talking.

"What is your name pretty princess?" The paramedic said and she looked down and tried to hide again in the blanket, her shyness coming out full force and she looked over at the cop again.

"She is not talking, banged up and in shock probably. We will have to run prints, plates, and everything else to get a positive I.D on her and the victim." The cop sitting in the ambulance said as the paramedic tried to get her to lay down on the gurney, but she refused and pushed back against a cabinet and refused to come out or even move toward the men. A hand came out and tried to coax her to lay down, but she stayed sitting and glared at everyone.

"She must have been there and seen everything." The paramedic said and she looked out the door as the cop on the road made a noise to indicate how wrong this conversation was in front of the girl, her eyes trailed up and she saw two men standing near a police car. A blonde man and a black haired man and she waved at both of them shyly from the confines of her blanket, a small smile as she looked at them. The cop looked over his shoulder to see who she was waving to, but the men had vanished before he could turn. She eventually let the paramedic lay her down, and she closed her eyes and let her self drift away to sleep as the ambulance drove into the night toward the nearest hospital.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Creepy damn kid, never says anything." The nurse said as she finished changing the saline bag that hung above her head and the girl watched, her thoughts a mystery and she hugged a stuffed cat another nurse had found in the gift shop close to her. The woman was unnerved by the pale girl in the bed those dark eyes following everything she did and the way she never made a sound as the doctor examined her, the gray haired nurse had never encountered a child patient who made her so uncomfortable and she hurried along with her task before the doctor stopped her at the door.

"She may be in shock, but she can still hear you, she is still in there ultimately. I know you are busy, but there is an officer who needs to ask her some questions. Would you mind sitting and observing? A woman in the room with a vulnerable child such as this would be a great help." The doctor said, and looked at down at the child on the bed, smiling at her kindly. The girl waved a hand up at her, and he produced a taffy from his pocket and put it in the girls slender hand. She snuck it up to her mouth and chewed on it and kept the toy cat close, studying everything around her.

"Lilliana. Such a pretty name for a very pretty little girl. Do you know where you are?" He asked her as the nurse watched both the girl and the doctor, the child's eyes scanned the room and the nurse shuddered as the girls eyes found hers.

"In a hospital." Lilliana answered in a soft voice that sounded alien coming from the girl, the doctor smiled and took a candy out of his pocket and gave it to her beaming in pride at the effort the girl made to speak.

"Very good," The doctor said and he smiled at her. "You have a pretty voice too little lady, now there is a Police Officer here to see you. He will have to ask some very hard questions of you, if you get tired you just tell me then we can stop and let you rest."

The doctor waited patiently for her to respond and she nodded her understanding, the nurse opened the door to let a brown haired police man into the room. He smiled politely at Lilliana, walking forward to sit down on a chair next to the bed and she looked at him with a bit of fear. He was a figure of authority, and she would be in trouble when he found out what she did.

"Does the uniform scare you? My kids say it makes me look tough and mean." The cop said and she shook her head no, she opened her hand and put the soft taffy in her mouth and chewed, she watched as the officer studied her for a moment and she saw that the man was not here to be cruel at all. Her body language relaxed a bit, and she stretched her feet out in front of her under the blanket setting the toy in her lap. The port in the back of her hand hurt, and the tape made her hand itch.

"That is a nice friend you have there, does he have a name?" The police man said and pointed at the toy cat as she watched the three adults in the room. She held up the gray striped cat with the orange ribbon tied around it's neck to show the officer and he smiled at it, appreciating that the girl trusted him to share her toy.

"I don't name my toys. They are not real, just dead stuffing and plastic." She said in a surprisingly mature manner, and the doctor jerked his head back a bit to indicate his surprise.

"Well, your little friend looks a lot like my cat, his name is Pete. Think we can call him that?" The officer said, not being condescending but just making casual conversation to build trust from the little girl. The girl nodded and hugged the toy close to her, her eyes scanning the room again a lost expression forming on her face as she looked around.

"How old are you Lilliana?" The officer asked her politely and she held up five fingers to tell him her age, she looked seriously at the man who spoke and slowly opened her hand toward the doctor to indicate her desire for another taffy.

"I am glad I filled my pocket with these at the Nurse's Station, you may empty my pocket by the end of this visit." The doctor said and placed a candy into her palm, the girl put it into her mouth and began chewing on the treat.

"You have the prettiest eyes Lilliana," the officer said and she looked up at him. "Someday men are going to throw themselves at you just to get you to smile."

"I don't like my eyes." She replied and looked down at her blanket and tried not to cry. The nurse shifted in her chair and she made an effort not to look up when she heard the woman cough to cover a laugh. Her eyes got her picked on by the other kids in her school, and her long, black hair made them call her even worse names. She wanted to look like the cop or the doctor instead of the girl she was, she sighed as she pulled the blanket up over her.

"Well, I am the authority on how people look, and you look like a nice and honest girl who will be very brave and answer all my questions. Think you can do that for me?" The officer asked and took a notepad out of his pocket, opening it and setting it on her bed as he pushed the button on a pen to begin taking notes.

"Can you tell me who the man in the car was?" He asked and she shook as the cop reached forward from his seat and patted her foot through the blanket. She curled her legs back up toward her and regarded him with vague annoyance, she did not like people touching her. Especially strangers, some people were just out to be mean to her.

"Was he your daddy?" He asked, pressing gently and she frowned. Her little hands clutching the stuffed cat and tears filling her eyes, she sniffed at the memory of fire and screams.

"Yes." She said and the doctor gave her another candy.

"Good girl. You are so strong and brave, can you answer more questions?" The cop asked and she nodded at him, the toy cat pressing into her chest as she looked around again. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and hid her mouth under the blanket as she chewed the piece of taffy, her eyes visible over the hem.

"Why did your daddy crash the car sweetie?" The cop said and she shivered visibly. "Take your time, I am actually paid by the hour, so this is actually a nice break from the harder work I do."

He waited and the girl moved around, crawling to the end of the bed and sitting back on her knees in the pink hospital gown. She studied his silver badge pinned to his shirt, her eyes trailing over the numbers embossed on the piece of metal that showed his position of authority.

"Your police badge says 'Detective', in the movies Detectives wear different clothes. Normal clothes, why are you wearing a uniform like a regular police officer." He jerked back at her observation and smiled openly and chuckled at the girl as she frowned at him.

"You are a very bright little girl, not much must get past you." The cop said to her and smiled proudly at her. "I like to wear the uniform because it is what I started from the bottom in, and other officers are more likely to talk to me if they see me as an equal."

"Does it work?" She asked him and the doctor and nurse both looked at the girl in shock.

"Yes it does, and people like to talk to me. They say it is because I am so darn nice." He replied and looked at the serious girl sitting in front of him, easing back in his chair as he made another note on the pad. Lilliana took in a breath and sighed, thinking about what to say next, sizing up the cop and deciding if she could trust the man.

"He went into a bar after we went trick or treating, he had beer and he fell asleep while driving." Lilliana replied and swallowed the candy she was sucking on instead of chewing, the doctor looked at her and she put out her hand for another taffy keeping her eyes on the cop and was rewarded with the sweet treat. The nurse looked at her disgusted and she stuck her tongue out at the woman in open defiance of her ire toward the girl, the cop chuckled at the act and she put the candy in her mouth.

"Did he say anything to you before the accident that made you unbuckle you seat belt. Did he yell at you or say something mean, like he wanted you to die?" The cop asked, and Lilliana shivered, remembering taking off her seat belt to try to steady the car when her father passed out. She shook her head to indicate no, and the cop sighed and sat back.

"Did you unhook your seat belt?" He asked her, looking at her seriously and tapping his pen on the notepad as he finished taking notes.

"Am I going to go to jail?" Lilliana asked and the Cop smiled at her and sighed.

"No sweetie, you are not going to jail. We are just trying to figure out what happened out there in the woods." The cop said and she shifted on her haunches, slipping her skinny legs out from under her to sit properly on the bed crossing her legs, and she rested her arms on her knees cocking her head to the side and thinking.

"I'm scared." She said in a little voice, all the maturity of the last few moments slipping away to reveal the vulnerable child that she truly was. The cop tilted his head and smiled at her gently.

"I know sweetie, I know. No one is going to hurt you here, and soon someone is going to pick you up and take you home. Do you have a mommy that can come get you?" The cop asked, and Lilliana looked down at the blanket.

"Dead." She said tersely, and the word echoed around the room like a gunshot.

"A granny?" The cop asked, and she shook her head to indicate no.

"All alone." Lilliana replied and put her hand out for another candy, the doctor gave her another one and she put it in her mouth and chewed. The cop looked at her sadly and the doctor placed a hand on her thin shoulder in comfort.

"I will notify Child Protective Services." The nurse said and she left the room quickly, relieved to be away from the creepy and strange girl and let the door close loudly as she hurried out of the room.

"I tried to turn the car so we would not get hurt." The girl said and she whimpered again, pulling the blanket over her and the two men saw her fighting tears.

"Is that why you took off your seat belt?" The cop asked, and she nodded and looked into the blanket as she pulled it over her head. The cop patted her foot again and she looked up at him scared, pulling her face free from the cloth and shaking.

"You tried to help sweetie, it is O.K." He said, she put her hand out for another candy. A taffy was placed in her hand as she slipped it into her mouth, chewing her reward and looking at the two men.

"I made a bigger mess." She said and the doctor looked down at her as she scooted back against the pillow on the bed and the doctor covered her with the blanket, tucking the stuffed cat in next to her.

"Sometimes it just works out that way sweetie, but you still tried." The cop said as the doctor finished tucking the girl in, a yawn causing her to open her mouth wide as she looked up at the two men.

The cop stood up and looked down at the girl, and dug something out of his pocket before leaving. He placed it in her open hand, and she saw the garnet and gold ring her mother had given her father sparkling in her pale palm.

"I thought you should have this, something from your daddy. I cleaned it up for you, and made sure it sparkled for you." He said and looked down at her, smiling as she turned the ring over in her fingers.

"You are such a brave girl Lilliana. Be good for everyone, and someday you will change everything." The cop said and left the room with the doctor.

She lay quietly looking at the ring in the dimmed light and slipped it onto her thumb quietly, watching the stone in the center of the heavy band sparkle as it stood out from her pale finger. A thousand memories of seeing that ring on her father flooded back, none of them good and she turned onto her side to look out the window and into the night beyond the hospital, seeing her own reflection looking back at her against the empty black sky. She saw an outline of two men in that window, making her sit up and look behind her. Her small body shivering as her heart hammered in her chest, she whimpered and pulled the blanked over her head to hide from the ghosts she saw. The cat in her arms and she pinched her eyes shut and fought with her own fear, curled up and alone in the dim hospital room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, she was given a pinafore dress from the charity bin the Catholic Church ran in the hospital for the people who had come in with nothing but the clothes on their backs, a thin coat, and buckled shoes as a woman carrying a heavy set of folders waited for her to appear in the hall. She stepped quietly out into the hall after the nice morning nurse finished combing and braiding her hair , she was led down the corridors, and out into the lobby as the woman took her hand. She pulled her hand back, hugging the toy cat close to her and kept her face pointed down at the tile floor.

Her father would be buried in a few days, the woman who walked with her told her, she would be driven to the funeral by another person. His colleagues at work notified of his sudden passing were putting together a collection to pay for the expenses, but it would never be enough. His cremated remains would end up in a drawer in an office with the county, cataloged with other people who would never be claimed. Collecting dust and being forgotten, eventually they would be disposed of when the space was needed for another John Doe. The ashes scattered over the ocean, and carried away on the wind, forgotten and lost to time.

"Why do I get the weird kids?" The woman lamented as she looked at Lilliana, her partner taking her to a car and stopping to shuffle her load around as she unlocked the back door.

"How the hell did her parents even come up with her name? Lilliana Rose Hawthorne? Did they just randomly open botany books and point at plants?" the red haired partner said and she laughed as the girl climbed into the back seat and sat patiently, looking up at the adults for guidance.

"Damn hippies, I picked up a kid last week named Cloud. This is probably the most normal name I have seen in a few months. All of them on drugs, and strung out. They get high and fuck, making more kids that they can't take care of, my workload just keeps growing" The brown haired woman said as she got into the car quietly, looking out the side window toward the hospital. Lilliana sat quietly, eyes barely able to see over the door, and she watched the other woman get in the car and they started leaving the turnaround in front of the lobby.

"Get this, she was born on Halloween. This kid is going to get eaten alive in the system by the other kids." The redhead said flipping through her file and looked back at her.

"We better be careful what we say, this kid is quiet, but she can still get us in trouble."

"She probably does not even care what we say, her eyes are freaky as hell too." The brunette woman said and the red haired woman opened her purse as Lilliana watched, they left the parking lot and drove toward the freeway. Paper streamers on a parked car along the street the only indication of the numerous Halloween pranks that had taken place the night before, her eyes taking in them as they passed. Fading paper pumpkins blew across the street, and would soon be collected and thrown carelessly away. Cast aside just like the pale, dark haired child in the back of the car that headed toward Seattle and an unsure future in a system that just worked to spit out the children that came into their care like throwaway commodities.

A life that would one day be less than ordinary.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 1.

Is there some law that requires Seattle Radio Stations to play Nirvana or freaking Pearl Jam once an hour? If there is, I want the person who wrote said law shot.

Seriously, just shoot them.

Shoot them and cremate them, cast the ashes over running water to be sure that the person stays dead.

As much as I love Seattle, and Earth, it never really was my home. And sadly, my last day on Earth was started with Pearl Jam. I want to say I left the planet peacefully, but, yeah…..it didn't exactly happen that way.

What can I say, I'm a pain in the ass at times. A huge pain in the ass, if you ask the right people.

 _Jeremy spoke in…spoke in class….today…_ Some part of my brain dreamed of fire that night, screams, and pleas for help. _Try to erase this…..try to…..from the blackboard…._

Dad…..no.

NO!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My eyes snapped open, and I woke up in the crappy motel off the I-5 Freeway. They are pretty much all the same. peeling paint, cracked drywall, the unmistakable smell of mold growing in the walls somewhere. The sad part was that the health department never shut them down, and the cops probably ignored this area out of self preservation. No one wanted to mess with this side of town, it was all gangs, prostitutes, and drugs, the latter of which I was a part of sadly.

Seattle was in a constant state of decay. All you had to do was look for it, even people less jaded than me saw it, and it was everywhere you looked. If you lived here long enough, the decay eventually became background noise among the Starbucks Coffee outlets, the Amazon Stock, and Tech Money. Sinking into your psyche as you added it to the constant din in the back of your mind, a minor itch in your primitive brain that you could ignore if you learned how to properly. They tried updating the buildings, tearing down the old, putting up the new. But it would always be there, cracks in the concrete foundations of a civilization that refused to fully crumble.

Shaking the fog from my brain, I managed to find the cheap alarm clock on the table next to me. However, it may or may not have taken me another five or so minutes of fumbling to cut off the chorus of Jeremy and Eddie Vedder's annoying voice. I glanced at the time, and the numbers flashed 11:13 unmercifully at me. A little later than I wanted to wake up, but it was acceptable when you work making deliveries at the beck and call for a Russian Drug boss.

You could almost write your own hours...almost.

"I hate that fucking song." I mumbled into the pillow and tried to find sleep again, if my dad in the five short years I had him taught me anything, it was to appreciate the underdog musicians. Hell, Jimi Hendrix was from Seattle, and he was infinitely better than most modern crap on the radio. Play him more. My desire for more sleep was torn away from me by the jangling of the burner cell that sat on the table next to my Samsung Galaxy and the alarm clock, I opened my eyes and pushed up from the bed to grab the phone and groaned a bit as I rolled onto my back, debating whether or not to answer the phone.

Burners were always those prepaid flip phones, and used in my line of work to make one call only. When their purpose was done, they were destroyed. If the cops caught up to you, the phone was destroyed. It made me silently wonder what would happen to me if my usefulness ever ran out.

"Raven." I groaned in to the phone and was greeted by the always gregarious voice of Dave. Five years and I still wondered if that was his real name.

"I need you for a Delivery." He rasped out, a mild Russian accent lacing his words. "Be at pickup point in forty minutes." The call ended, he was always such a chatterbox and it drove me crazy at times.

"Yeah Dave, lovely as always to hear from you too, be there in twenty you smooth talker you. No don't gush over me sweetie, it embarrasses me." I rolled over, and swung my legs off the bed. Standing took a bit more effort, but after testing my balance I slowly began gathering up my clothes and even more slowly started becoming human again. I swayed a bit and tripped over an empty Jack Daniels bottle cussing as I rubbed my injured toe, kicking the bottle out of anger and yelping at the pain.

I found my panties on the floor under a towel, and my skirt was draped over the doorknob for some reason I could not figure out,slowly the night before came back to me. A couple beers, hand washing my clothes and hanging them up, a bottle of vodka, followed by a Jack and Coke bender. I was willing to bet that at nineteen, I had the liver of an eighty year old sailor and kidneys that were getting ready to give up.

On the stand next to the television, was a bottle of water, and I smiled openly at it. Drunk me was not entirely an asshole to sober me, but it still could be a trick. I cracked the bottle, and drained it in a few long gulps, scratching at the eight pointed star birthmark on my neck under my left ear. I stretched my long fingers over my head and tossed the bottle aside, looking in the mirror I took in my too thin frame. Waist length Black hair, yes it was natural, and skin that was pale and smooth. Sadly, I refused to tan. Even in the hot, sunny summers that gripped the Seattle area during that time of year, and it gave me an unnatural yet ethereal quality. My dad told me I inherited my heart shaped face from my Mom, and I got her full lips and hair. I had to wonder if it was my Dads side that had the full breasts, and the inability to tan enough to look healthy. I know my deep violet eyes came from him, and I hated having them. I wished I had gotten his red curly hair instead of the eyes, my mothers deep brown eyes would have gone over better. But Nature is a cruel bitch, so I was cursed to look like a vampire and have people feel uncomfortable around me when they looked at me.

It did amaze me that my face held a softness that was not helped by being five foot nothing. It made it hard for people to take me seriously or make me seem intimidating, and drove me nuts when people laughed at me for being that "cute little Goth Chick." They didn't know me from anyone else, and I could fight my way out of any situation that I needed to.

I willed myself to the shower, and dressed quickly. I had to see a man about a delivery.

Within ten minutes of my short shower, I left the crappy Motel, all my stuff on my back in a black backpack I carried everywhere, and boarded the Metro Bus that would take me from the University District to Freemont. A short five minute ride, but it was a cloudy day before Halloween, and I didn't like the idea of getting stuck in the rain if it came. Carrying a bag full of drugs across town sucked enough without the weather working against you year round.

From the bus stop, I walked up to the Halfway House for kids that were deemed unacceptable for family life, and was immediately greeted by my favorite person in the whole world. Teeney.

Her real name was Christina Hayes, but I called her Teeney from day one. And she was the only person I trusted most in the world.

Her whole face lit up when she saw me, and she giggled and ran over squealing and clapping her hands as I unlatched the gate that kept the riffraff out and the girls and boys in. Her hazel eyes sparkling at me as she threw her chubby arms around me nearly knocking me back into the gate.

"Li Li!" she squeaked out and I had to gently unwrap her arms from my waist. I must have looked ridiculous, a Goth chick in knee high buckled boots, one fishnet thigh high, and one black and purple thigh high, leather biker jacket, black lace ruffled skirt, and purple corset being bear hugged by and four foot five girl with Downs Syndrome. Her pink hoodie, and light blue jeans a stark contrast to my own style, but deep down, I loved this girl. I didn't give two fucks if someone stared at us as we walked along, she was my best friend and I would kick anyone to shit and back if they made fun of her.

Teeney was the closest thing I ever had as family, and I was not going to loose her ever, and I would keep fighting to see her every Friday on schedule, always. Plus, she was great cover for me when I went out on deliveries for Dave, not that I couldn't do it by myself, but she made the work more bearable sometimes.

"Hey Teeney, can I have some oxygen?" I asked, smoothing her mouse brown hair out of her face and tying it back with a green hair tie from my jacket pocket.

"Can we get Mo Mo's?" She asked happily as I finished tying her hair up. The reference was to Molly Moon's Ice Cream, and she loved it! Sometimes she would ask to go to the bead store, other times she wanted to see a movie, but her absolute favorite was Molly Moon's. I gave her a half smile as she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet, waiting for my answer impatiently.

"We sure can, any flavor you want. I do have to work today though Teeney. You can come along, but I need you to calm down a bit." She continued bouncing, and I saw Steve the cool caretaker over the top of her head opening the door to the house. I waved at him, showing him it was all cool.

"Yes! Any flavor!" She said and made a conscious effort to stop bouncing, her face pinching up with the effort. Steve mouthed a "Hello" to me, and I mimicked a phone to my ear. Teeney in the meantime had unzipped her hoodie to show me her new sweatshirt, and emblazoned across her chubby stomach was the shield of her favorite Meta Human and agent of SHIELD. Captain America.

I may have been her favorite person, but he was her girlish crush. Ever since that day in New York, when she saw him fighting with Tony Stark, against the aliens. Also some other people whose names I could never remember, she developed and maintained the biggest crush on him.

Those of us who understood, knew nothing would be the same ever again on our little blue planet, aliens poured through a hole in the sky and we stopped being alone in the universe. It was as if some asshole picked up all of us, and forced our eyes wide open, and refused to let us close them again. SHIELD was made public, and then they were dissolved by the Government after some conflict but there were still whispers on the internet they still operated, people saying how they saw SHIELD here or wherever anything weird managed to pop up. I never believed Tumbler though, it was a whole bunch of hearsay, followed by horny teenage girls writing bad porn about their favorite actors. I had better things to look at on the computers at the library, and rumor and gossip was not really it.

However, Teeney remained a staunch follower of good old Captain America.

I on the other hand, secretly wished for the day that the only assholes who hated us were other humans, not assholes from another planet or from even another state of being.

"It looks great Teeney, I'm sure Captain America would be proud to have you as his biggest fan." I smiled at her fully, and pretended to care because I didn't want to hurt her feelings and her face lit up in the biggest smile ever.

"He is so handsome," She said mimicking a stance of a Disney Princess, and grinning. I couldn't help at that point at laugh, not at how silly she was, but at how innocent she was. I felt a pang of jealously that she was sheltered so well, and would never fully know how fucked up the world in whole really was. I wanted to keep her that way too, but shit always seemed to happen to me and people around me.

I checked my phone for the time before calling the House as we walked. Steve answered.

"Hey Lilly, how's it going?" He asked, calling me by the only other nickname I would tolerate, Raven being my Street Name.

'Good man, I'm going to take Teeney out for a bit, but I will have her back one way or another by dark." I said back. He was used to my way of life but never knew what I really did. Sometimes I did manage to gett her home myself, other times it was a Taxi who brought her back. Either way, he always let me take her out for an afternoon here and there with minimal argument. However, if her knew I was running drugs, I would probably be banned for life from The House and a thirty mile radius of it.

"Cool. Don't give her any more coffee though, she may like it but she never calms down after." He said, making me grin at that last visit with her. "Happy Birthday."

"Its tomorrow man," I said, and softened myself a bit. "But thanks for remembering. I got to take this girl shopping now"

I ended the call and shoved the Samsung phone phone back into my pocket, zipping it up so it would not fall out and get broken. Steve would never have said no to me taking her out anyways, he knew how close we both were and he knew that I would never allow anything to happen to her. We had a secret bond from the first day we both arrived at the house, and she brought me somewhat out of my shell in the end. Not that she ever got fully in, but she was allowed to get parts of me no one else did.

"So girlie," I said putting my hand on her back gently, and leading her to the gate. "I have to go see Dave first, but after we can get your Ice Cream."

I knew she hated Dave, and was somewhat aware of how I made money to survive. But how much she was aware, I was not sure. She was a bit slow, but I never really cared. All that mattered to me was that she was happy.

I remembered the first night in the house together as I opened the gate and led her along the sidewalk, her hand in mine as we both walked along.

We were both dropped off on the same day, she was six, and I was nine at the time. Two kids who could not be placed in Foster care for some luddite reason or another, and we were both placed there because of our apparent issues. The biggest reason for me was everywhere they placed me, I unnerved the parents and other children in the house. I was not trouble in fact they always said I was quiet and polite, just damn weird looking. The last house for me was hell though, it left scars that I could not shake nor could I escape. Teeney had a bit of a hard time adjusting to new places, and she would cry whenever she was placed, and refused to eat.

The first night we spent in our room was rough, I remember trying to sleep and pretend I was alone. Her quiet demeanor melted away that night when the lights went out, and we were left alone in the dark. She instantly became a mess of sobs and whimpers as we lay in the darkened room, hiding from the shadows that danced over the walls under her blankets.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you scared?" I asked the lump in the bed next to mine, her faint outline seen by the window light, yet barely visible to me. She nodded and said nothing, but the sobs continued.

"Don't be, I can sleep next to you if you want. Just for tonight." I said to her, and instead of a verbal answer I heard her shuffle across her bed to lay against the wall in the darkness. I got out of my bed and slipped into hers, she immediately seemed to relax as I used my bare hand to wipe her face, clearing away the tears and calming her.

"Don't let the monsters get you." She whispered through sobs and hiccups. As I pulled the sheets up to my chin, I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Monsters are afraid of me," I said to her.

"How do you know?" She asked me, calming down a bit.

"Because of my eyes, they are magic, and when I look at a monster they die immediately."

"I like your eyes," she said to me, it was the first time anyone said anything positive about the way I looked my whole life, some people may have complimented me but I think they were being polite. This time it seemed different, this girl was honest and she said what she felt.

"What's your name?" She asked me.

"Lilliana Rose."

"Li Li." She replied to me yawning. The scent of baby powder coming from her calming me as well, lulling me to sleep.

"Close Enough Teeney." I smiled in the darkness to finally have a friend, and let myself drift off to sleep with her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She kept her sweet innocence as we both grew up in that house. I lost mine, learning how to fight and survive, finding myself becoming hard shelled and building The Great Wall of China around myself in the process. For good measure I hung a sign on the door that said "Fuck off" to ensure that no one ever got beyond the locked door. When I turned eighteen, I was forced out of the house, Teeney cried and I promised to visit her often. So far, I had managed to keep my promise, and was always there for my secret sister. Her smiles always managed to make cracks in my wall, and her fingers found many ways in where others failed. She grounded me, and found ways to make me smile when I didn't think I could smile.

She was the only person in all of creation allowed inside my wall, and I still hid so much from her.

By the time I did leave the House, I wasn't at all unable to make a living. I was doing deliveries for Dave, and I had some money saved that I hid at the bottom of my bag. I always had an itch that I was going to get caught one day, but being short and invisible my entire life made me good at flying under the radar. I never went overly out of my way to draw attention to myself, and the way I dressed ensured that people would go out of their way to ignore me altogether. I was gifted at disappearing in front of people, and I held on to my talent like it was all I had left in the world.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We met Dave in the alley above the Bead Shop on Stone Way, his slick, white Mercedes idling as the tinted windows inched down. He passed me the card with the address where I was supposed to make the drop, and waited gauging my reaction. I plugged the address into the Galaxy, and it popped up as being in SoDo. At least it wasn't in Tukwila or Sea Tac, I had to walk all the way back to Seattle once form Sea Tac, and it sucked. My feet still ached into my knees just thinking about it.

I accepted the job and saved the address card in my jacket pocket, looking around to make sure we were not being watched as I talked to him. Dave then passed me a new Burner Phone through the window, and I put the old one under the front tire of his car so it could be destroyed.

Teeney's eyes widened as I checked the gun that Dave gave me, it was already loaded and I racked the slide back jacking in the first round. A little insurance that it was ready should I need it, and I hoped I never did. I clicked the safety on and slipped the cold steel down the back of my skirt, near the base of my spine. It was a reassuring pressure that lay at my back, and it gave me confidence I could take on the world if I needed to. The new Burner had one number programmed into it, and I would call it when I made the delivery and got payment for the package. He would then give me a drop off point for his money, and I would meet him for the final task in my job and this phone would be destroyed the same way the old one was about to be as well. He would pay me, give me another Burner phone, and I would be done for the day.

"You look strung out Raven." His accent irritating me more than normal and he was right. I couldn't shake the tickle of bugs crawling on my skin today. It was like tiny bites all over and I itched like crazy, I chalked it up to my drinking last night, and I tried to ignore the way he licked his lips when he looked at me.

"I have clients who like girls like you. Maybe you consider a new job for me." Fire raged through my veins then. I wanted to grab his hair and slam his face into the steering wheel, but I held back.

"Well Dave, we both know you don't pay me enough to support a drug habit. So, the only excuse for my looking strung out is I slept like shit last night." I responded while making air quotes around "Strung out". I fished my sunglasses out of my other jacket pocket as I talked, trying to put up a tough front. He laughed and handed me the black messenger bag which held two pounds of Black Tar Heroin, grunting as I put the strap over my head and the bag under my arm. My backpack was burden enough, but this damn bag was the cake. It was the knowledge of what was in it that made it weigh more, and if anything happened to it Dave was not above doing something extremely horrible to me. I have seen the results of failure firsthand, I fought back the urge to shiver as he watched me.

'Your friend then? I give her work." I nearly lost my shit when he said those words, that alone nearly sent me into full rage, one so bad that I would have ripped him apart with my bare hands just for thinking it. He laughed, and looked at me as if it were the funniest thing in the world.

"I kid you Raven, calm down." He laughed. And my fists relaxed slightly.

"Fuck you Dave." I retorted, not breaking eye contact with the mirrored lenses of the aviator style glasses I wore reflecting him back.

"You are pretty when you are angry girl." He said and pulled away crushing the Burner, and I imagined it being his head not the cell phone being crushed.

I snaked my fingers around Teeney's chubby wrist, and we both walked up the alley toward 45th, every part of my being wanting to scream as I moved. I kicked a glass bottle as hard as I could against the brick back wall of the building and reveled in the satisfaction that is shattered when it hit the wall, I shook with anger and focused straight ahead.

"Fucking prick." I growled and Teeney followed me.

Dave was the type of person who talked shit to push your buttons so he could look tough while his goons pounded you into dog meat, but one of these days, I was going to catch him without his goons, and it was going to be an ugly day for him. He wouldn't, be so tough then, I would be standing over him as he picked up all those teeth out of a curb somewhere.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Standing in the Parking lot of the bead store, two men regarded the exchange between the two girls and the man in the car. It was a strange ritual to them, and as they didn't understand what it was fully nut they continued to observe.

Thor took in the weapon she was handed and operated deftly and with skill, using the knowledge from his observations to see that she was a bit more dangerous than previously thought. He assumed quietly that she would return the weapon later, but was not sure. He was not about to approach her while she was with her shorter, more vulnerable companion though. Cornered, and with someone with her to protect, she would be very dangerous.

Loki watched her with detached interest, picking at the sleeve of his coat and grinning. He knew that this was going to be an interesting task from the beginning, but she was still helpless, and would possibly be a source of amusement when they did confront her. He wondered if she would stand in awe of them both, or if she would just cry and beg to be let go. His eyes scanning her clothing and feeling disgusted by it, he wondered if she could even be what everyone believed her to be. Midgardians held belief that their clothing defined them, and it did somewhat. To him, she was a clown of sorts, and her mismatched stockings screamed that she was in poverty. The girl should feel blessed to be pulled from the gutter, and to be in their presence when the time came.

'Interesting" He muttered to himself and picked at his wool coat sleeve patiently, his eyes cast down in boredom.

The girls began walking along, and he chuckled to himself as she kicked the bottle angrily, filing away in his mind that she did have a bit of a temper for use later.

Together, they both walked along the sidewalk, keeping some distance from the girls Loki, squinting at the patch on the bag on her back that said Nine Inch Nails and the twin half moons that said A Perfect Circle. He wondered why it said that; there was no circle at all in the design.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Guess what Joey told me about Captain America." Teeney said, making the tension between my shoulders melt away a bit as we walked.

"What did Joey tell you?"

"He told me that Captain America's real name is Steve like the cook at the House." Se said and giggled. 'Is that true?"

"Well," I smiled, and reached into my pocket for my cell. "I can use my Google-Fu powers to fact check Joey and tell you in a moment."

I began tapping at the screen with my thumbs, black fingernails flying as I entered my query. At the end of the alley, we turned right to continue along Stone Way to 45th. Teeney, holding my arm and keeping me from walking off the sidewalk on accident, she looked out for me sometimes and I let her.

"I wish he would come to Seattle. I want him to visit us." She sighed at me. "I bet he is so tall."

"Joey is right, his name is Steve Rogers." I said, intent on my search and smiling at Teeney while handing her my phone. I just looked up in time to nearly miss the blond brick wall of a man as we were reaching Stone Way, and I let my anger come back with extra venom.

"Watch where you are going dickwad!" I hissed at him, glaring at him in open defiance. I was daring daring him to do something, my hand reaching under the back of my coat my fingertips brushing the gun.

"That's right bitch, you almost knocked my girl over." I added as an after thought, trying to provoke a fight. I shoved into his chest as hard as I could, and stepped back. He stood there like an idiot and kept his mouth shut in a smart move, his friend next to him grinning at the scene. My mood was already shitty thanks to Dave, but this was taking the cake. Teeney took my hand, and pulled at it gently to move me along. I put my hand up on her shoulder, and we turned north, allowing her to lead me away.

"I believe we have love at first site." His Twilight looking friend with the black hair said sardonically, instinctively I gave him the finger over my shoulder and turned as I walked to add a second middle finger. I let Teeney lead me toward Molly Moons, and she handed me back the phone as I took a few breaths to calm back down. I shoved it into my pocket and kept moving.

"No bad words Li Li." She scolded me, I smiled despite my anger and couldn't help the laugh that came out suddenly.

"Alright Teeney," I sighed, regaining my composure. "No bad words, I promise. But before we get on the bus, I better keep my first promise to you."

"Mo Mo's!" She shrieked and clapped her hands happily. "Mo Mo's!"

"Yes Teeney, Mo Mo's." And with that, she grabbed my arm, and began pulling me down the street toward the Ice cream shop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By 2:30, we were on the bus and Teeney was happily eating her Ice Cream, swinging her feet in that childish way that I always appreciated and found endearing. I dug my mirror compact out of my bag and carefully checked my eyeliner in it, I then used the black pencil to carefully line my lips before reapplying a fresh coat of black lipstick. I notice an old lady scowling at me, and I shot her a look that screamed "Mind your own business."

I freaking hated it when people stared.

I used my fingers to smooth my hair, and the old lady directed her attention somewhere else, making it her new found hobby to ignore me.

An itch in my birthmark made me turn my head, and I saw them both, the two men we nearly ran into along Stone Way. Everything about them now set off an air raid siren in my head that made me worry about Teeney in a million ways. The Blond Surfer was dressed casually, denim jacket and a hoodie under it. His jeans were worn, and he wore a pair of heavy work boots, looking extremely out of place with his business like companion. His friend was the complete opposite of Surfer, his shoes were neatly polished, his tie straight, not even his shoulder length black hair was out of place, fucker reminded me of a vampire with his hair like that, combed back and falling down the back of his neck in waves. The duo was so mismatched in fact, they screamed "cops", and I had to fight every urge to bolt right then and there.

Instead, I shoved my makeup and mirror back into my bag, trying my best to look casual as I put my backpack back on and the messenger bag strap back across my chest. The only thing that made me look uneasy was the crawling sensation on my skin, and the bead of nervous sweat trickling down my back as I sat there.

Teeney offered me a spoonful of her treat, and I opened my mouth to accept it, nodding a yes to her inquisitive look even though I hated the taste of pumpkin desserts. The light outside dimmed as we entered the bus tunnel under the Retail Core, and I glanced down at my phone quietly. I nudged Teeney, and leaned over to her.

"Let's take the scenic route." I said and pretended to stretch moving and twisting my back, standing in the isle the old woman glaring up at me again, as the bus stopped at the first platform in the underground tunnel.

"Teeney, scenic route." I said again, and she was too engrossed in her treat to comprehend. I instead grabbed her arm, pulling her bodily out of the seat and ran off the bus onto the platform as fast as I could. Teeney eventually cooperated and followed me, her feet running along with mine. My moment of panic faded when we saw the two men sitting still on the bus, and found ourselves standing on the platform as two old men walked by, staring at my clothes as they walked.

"Li Li! I almost dropped my Ice cream!" She scolded me again and I turned on her, pinning her with a look that told her that now was not the time. Se began studying her feet and I collapsed onto a bench against the wall, attempting to keep the rabbit that was beating against my rib cage from escaping.

In my head I cursed at myself, and beat myself up for bringing Teeney this far. I had two pounds of Black Tar Heroin in the bag, an unregistered firearm under my jacket, and a joint in my jacket pocket. The joint may be legal in Washington State, but everything else would land Teeney and I into a shit ton of trouble. I called myself an idiot for putting Teeney at risk again and leaned against the wall, the cold steel of the gun at the small of my back digging into my spine painfully and I pushed it away. Resting my hand on the messenger bag, I decided it was time to send Teeney back home and finish work alone.

Teeney tossed her empty bowl and spoon into the trash and sat down on the bench next to me, she put her hand on top of mine, and looked directly at me.

"I'm not mad at you." I said, "My job can get me into trouble, big trouble, and I don't want you to get taken with me." I tried to explain not knowing for sure how much she would understand.

"Bad kind of medicine?" She said patting the bag and I knew then she understood what I did for a living, and it tore a hole right through me.

I nearly cried seeing her sad expression, and wanted to ask her how much she understood of what I was doing but held back. I wanted to hug her too, her fingers smoothed my hair and I just knew then she forgave me for being a criminal. I knew she understood that I had to survive. I put my other hand over hers, and sighed trying desperately not to cry.

"The worst kind of medicine Teeney." I choked out and closed my eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We exited the Bus Tunnel at Benaroya Hall, and I walked her over to the Taxi stands guiding her with a hand on her shoulder. It was 3:30 and I was sending her on back home. Part of me felt like this was the last time I would ever see her, and she was just going to have to forgive me if that was true. I peeled off a couple of hundreds and handed them to her quickly, and she studied me for a moment. I still had $4,000 in the bottom of my bag, and would be getting another grand tonight.

"For your Captain America doll, I want you to get it next time you go to the store with the group." I said and she smiled back at me brightly. I took another hundred and extended it through the window of the Orange Cab toward the driver, he looked at me as if I were some rebellious rich girl as I recited the address to the House before handing him the money. She watched the exchange in amazement, and then looked at me with her mouth open in shock.

"I could see your panties." She said, scolding me again. I pulled my skirt down in the back, and rolled my eyes slightly embarrassed that the entire street saw my black thong. I opened he back door to the cab and ushered her in quickly, using a pen from my pocket to write my cell on the back of her hand as I crouched down next to the open back seat.

"Call me when you get to the House, and write this number down somewhere safe. I am going to be busy for a while, and I may not get to come and see you until I am done." I said before closing the door, and hoping she believed my lie. I crouched slightly so my butt did not hang out again and addressed the driver.

'Don't stop, don't let her get you to stop, if she gets antsy, put on KISW. She likes the Men's Room, and it will calm her down. Fuck with my Sister, and I will cut your dick off and display it for fun."

"Bad words Li Li." She chided, and I opened the back door again, to kiss her cheek, leaving a black lip print there.

"You said I was your sister." She said, and beamed at me. I smiled back and the driver turned on the radio to play KISW for her, following my instructions and taking my threat somewhat seriously.

"You are my sister, better than blood, because I chose you." I said, and the man tried to hand me my change, I put my hand up and refused it, closing the door to the cab after buckling her seat belt carefully and stepped back from the car.

I watched as the cab pulled away and headed south on 3rd before turning up Union, not paying attention to anything else as I watched Teeney head home. If I had paid attention, I would have seen Surfer and Twilight across the street, paying close attention to me as I watched my best and only friend at the time leave. Instead, I mentally reinforced my mental stone wall, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to put some music into my head to shut up the voices screaming what an epic loser I was. I put my ear buds in, and tapped Marilyn Manson and began walking. The faster I finished today, the better.

Maybe if I had seen them, I would have a normal life still.

And if pigs had wings...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"She is rather irksome, isn't she?" Loki asked Thor casually, bored with this mundane adventure, and he adjusted the collar of the bland coat to do something with his hands. He couldn't help but wonder what the hand gesture she gave them earlier meant, and filed it away as well in the back of his mind to ask her later.

"Not now," Thor replied, obviously repressing a growl. "We have a task to accomplish, and I intend to not upset Father."

"He is not my father." Loki reminded him, feeling irritated that so many insisted that the King of Asgard was his kin. "Yet, someone should teach her how to dress really, does she even look at herself?"

Loki couldn't fathom how she could even stand to have people stare at her as she walked, but was a bit surprised to see how others on the street went out of their way to ignore the girl. As if they couldn't be bothered to accept her existence at all, not that he felt that he should.

"Are we even sure if this is her Thor? She does not look any different than the other mortals, unless you count the obvious."

"She has the mark below her ear, just as Father described. Any more irritating questions?"

Loki ignored that Thor insisted on calling Odin "Father" and they continued to follow the girl along the street, ignoring the panhandlers and other people they passed as they walked. One woman stopped, her eyes flowing over him as she openly calmed her pulse. Loki smiled to himself, toying with the idea of seeing what the Mortal would do if he allowed her such attentions but passing on it. His attention turned to their prey, her back to them as the ruffled skirt bounced along.

"She does not look special to me, that is all." Loki replied coolly, his tongue licked his lower lip as they both stopped as she came to a pause to look down at that infernal device in her hand briefly and then hitched the bag back up onto her shoulders.

"Nice legs perhaps, but far from special."

"Judge not brother, she is powerful and has not yet realized it." Thor said and Loki rolled his eyes.

"With that said, how do you expect to ensnare the girl? I would so love to hear your plan." He teased the muscular brute. Odin had ordered that she was not to be harmed in any way, but the idea of tangling with this uncouth girl was amusing in his head.

"We shouldn't startle her, she has a weapon on her, and I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it. I have seen one used in battle." Thor sighed, Loki becoming bemused as Thor allowed himself to look at her legs as they started walking again.

Slowly, a sheepish smile spread across Loki's face as he caught Thor looking at the curve of her hips as well. Suddenly a gust of wind blew the hem of her skirt up a bit too much, and they both averted their eyes as she adjusted the garment quickly. Loki watched as Thor colored slightly at the sight, and chuckled slightly at his embarrassed brother.

"Not a word Loki." Thor's baritone voice warned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It took me longer than I thought it would to make it through Pioneer Square, thanks to all the tourists flocking to The Underground Tour for the annual Halloween Haunted Seattle Tour. They claimed to take you to the most haunted places in all of Seattle, but I always thought it was a bunch of hype. Tell someone that a place is haunted, eventually they will see ghosts. People, not places are the really haunted things on the planet.

I felt a great deal of relief as I turned the corner to the low rise apartment building where I could drop this bag and take on a much lighter load for the last leg of the trip the end of the work day in sight. I sighed knowing that if I did have a run in with the cops, that what I carried next had no implications except for suspicion and they couldn't hold you on suspicion.

"Fifteen Minutes." I told myself, and crouched down to check for the butterfly knife I kept inside the top of my right boot, I then slipped the gun out of the small of my back and thumbed the safety off as a just in case measure. I had done this delivery before, but I never left anything to chance or luck in the end. Being that stupid could get you hurt or worse, and I really did not want to spend Halloween in the morgue. I slipped the gun back into the waistband of my skirt smoothing the two studded belts that hung on my hips, and pulled the back of my jacket over it, the pressure of it being there reassured me. I then took a few deep breaths and walked info the foyer of the tenement, pushing the door open and heading into the gloom.

"Fucking hell." I said as I was greeted by the scent of urine and sweat in the small space, the smell was all over Seattle, but this was just bad. I fished the card with the info out of my pocket and pressed the button for the correct unit and waited for an answer. The Intercom button turned green, and no voice greeted me, but I knew what to do. They were waiting for me, and I steeled up my courage and leaned toward the speaker and announced it was the drop off.

Dealers were really paranoid in nature and thought every person who rang their bell was a cop, I understood their need for caution and did not judge them for it.

"It's Raven, I have a delivery." The green light winked out and I quickly moved toward the inner door as I heard an audible click of it unlocking. Inside the gloomy lobby I got a sharp pain through my stomach, but blew it off as me being hungry. Stress and hunger does weird stuff to your body at times, and today was stressful enough without me getting sick.

The tenement house was built a hundred years ago, and it showed every year of it, peeling paint and cracked plaster that filtered down in the diffused light of the warped windows, a lone bulb hung from an ancient electric cord in the ceiling that was probably no where near being up to code and the elevator was forever out of order. It was amazing that the city did not condemn this place, but it was so far out from downtown no one would ever pay any attention to it. I glanced down at the card and sighed as I found the unit number was on the third floor.

Third floor and no elevator…joy.

I walked up to the third floor wondering what the pattern in the ancient, threadbare carpet on the floor once was when my personal cell rang nearly making me jump out of my skin. I checked the number and saw it was the number of the House, and smiled to myself. Teeney made it back, I swiped with my thumb knowing if I didn't answer she would just call again and in my line of business, I couldn't have that.

"Teeney?" I asked into the phone, and leaned against a wall, the plaster cracking a bit from my weight.

"Made it Li Li." She squeaked into the phone, and I sighed as that bit of stress left my shoulders, a prickling sensation at my birthmark made me scratch at it unconsciously as I listened to her ramble a bit about what they were going to have for dinner. I felt a bit bad when I had to cut her off and get off the phone, but I had to work and these guys were waiting on me.

"Good to hear Teeney, I really have to finish work now though. Get Steve to take you out for your doll soon." I tried my best to sound cheerful but my voice shook a bit and I had to take a breath.

"O.K. Li Li, be careful there." She squeaked.

"I promise." I said and quickly disconnected the call, shoving the phone back into my jacket pocket. I continued to climb up the stairs, and was greeted by a rat on the third floor who angrily snarled at me as I kicked at it, it squeezed its fat body under a door, and I walked down the hall to finish the delivery as someone in the unit the rat went into screamed.

"Fifteen minutes, and than back out onto the street.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I really don't see the fuss." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest in front of him and sighed. Loki was becoming weary of Thor and Midgard quickly, he wanted to get back to Asgard so he continue to ignore the world around him and finish out his punishment in solitude. He studied his nails casually as they both watched the girl disappear into the shadowy lobby of the building across the road, A Glamour concealed them both, making them appear as homeless persons so not to alert her as they had on the bus an hour before.

Loki gave a sidelong glance to his now unusually stoic brother, trying to judge Thor's thoughts from his demeanor but Thor remained focused intently on the building. He sighed to himself, thinking of a way to amuse himself while they waited for the runt to reveal herself again.

"Has the Allfather gone soft because of you and your mortal?" Loki asked, and a look of annoyance crossed Thor's face as he watched. Surprisingly, Thor remained silent despite Loki's jab, and the stoicism returned to Thor as he took in a breath and released it.

"The Illendrial is the most powerful force in all of the Nine Realms. If she fell into the wrong hands, she could be manipulated and used as a weapon against all of us." Thor said, turning his head to look at Loki and took in another breath. "She could be used to lay waste to everything, including time itself. You know this well Brother, and I don't see why you refuse to believe this."

"Do you really believe that the Allfather wants to protect her then? She will be another weapon in the vault, caught and kept for him to use whenever the fancy takes him. Power corrupts Thor, I should know…..that girl is power, and I have the distinct feeling the Allfather will use her to gain more of it."

"Enough Loki…..enough." Thor sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Father explained his intentions clearly, the girl is to be protected and cared for until she is ready to be on her own. She has no knowledge of what she is, otherwise she would not be among other Mortals"

Loki watched the building silently, deciding he had poked at Thor enough and growing bored of seeing how far he could push him before he reached his boiling point. He tightened his jaw as his thoughts turned to his own past and pushed them away quickly, putting his attention to the setting sun and the hues of red and purple twilight taking over the sky. He became fascinated by silhouettes created by the forest of cranes along the waterfront used to unload cargo vessels in the port off in the distance, reaching up to the sky like skeletal hands of giants wanting to crawl themselves out of the ground. The wind carried the incessant grinding sound of a ship docking, and he wanted to drown out the sound but it became relentless.

He could not understand this realm, not one of these pathetic creatures struck him as overly important, but they placed importance on one another. Their willingness to fight for their small world was impressive as well, but futile. He turned the image if the Illendrial protecting the obviously vulnerable mortal, finding it somewhat endearing. Her black smeared mouth opening to accept the food that was offered, and the way she accepted the vulnerable mortal's chastisement about her vulgar language. Loki chuckled to himself, filing away the name she called Thor into the back of his mind for possible use later.

"Amused by something?" Thor asked, not trying at all to mask the annoyance in his voice.

"Oh, just thinking about that rather colorful name she called you." He replied coolly. "I like the poetry of it…..Dickwad….It rolls of the tongue really, Midgardian language and slang is always so crude, but that was pure poetry."

Thor's shoulders tightened beneath the denim jacket and Loki chuckled, making no effort to hide his amusement this time.

"I must applaud your restraint Thor; you did refrain from showing the girl how her insolence annoyed you." Loki glanced back at the doorway of the building as the girl emerged, one less bag but a new bulge under the leather jacket she wore.

"Our quarry emerges." He purred as she held another device to her ear. She spoke into it for less than a heartbeat and turned North, making her way to an unknown destination.

"I never play with fire brother." Thor said as they both resumed following her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The drop off went better than smooth, and for that I was relieved immensely.

I handed the dealer the bag, he counted the money in front of me, and sealed it into a manila envelope. I watched as he put a line of tape and a stamp over the tape to prove I did not open it or attempt to steal any of the money. You would think that the drug dealer did not trust me, it was not like I was the dishonest one. I slipped the envelope into the false lining of my jacket, and was escorted to the door by a hairy knuckled thug who patted me on the top of my head.

On the street, I pulled the Burner out of my pocket and pressed send on the only number listed in the contacts.

"It done?" Dave asked.

"Yeah. Where do we meet?"

"Ferry Terminal, be there by seven."

"Which one?" I asked him, not hiding the exasperation in my voice.

"Bainbridge." And he ended the call, leaving me rolling my eyes, good god that guy could talk your ear off sometimes.

"Gee Dave, I'm fine, no the big scary goon didn't scare me. Thanks so much for the concern." I mumbled to myself as I pulled the gun and clicked the safety back on and racked the slide to eject the bullet from the chamber, I pulled the magazine and pushed the bullet back into it. There was no sense in having one at the ready if you didn't need it any more, from here on out it was smooth sailing.

Replacing the magazine in the pistol, I noticed two homeless people across the street watching me; I waved at them and shoved the gun back under my coat giving them the finger for good measure. Turning North on my heel, I headed for the terminal.

"I need a new job." I grumped at the wind as I walked, checking the time. I had well over an hour and a half before my day was over, and I was starving. My skin was becoming twitchy again too, fire ants crawling up it and trying to find a place to burrow into it. I managed to ignore the feeling and kept walking.

One by one, the pre programmed lights of Columbia Tower winked on ahead of me, and the globe of light at the top of Smith Tower began to wink on. The sky had taken on the purple of twilight, and the wind off of Puget Sound had become colder as the sun sank over the horizon. I reached into my pockets, and pulled out my black fingerless gloves, and cursed as the garnet thumb ring got snagged on the finger.

Dad's ring.

In a few hours, it would be my Birthday, and Halloween. And with any luck, I would be deep in a bottle trying to ignore the whole crappy day. Most people enjoy getting older, not me. It was the same day fifteen years ago, I became an orphan. The day my dad wrecked his car with me in it and while I was thrown free and out of the car, he was left inside to burn. The cop who came to question me about the accident gave me the ring while I was in recovery from the many minor bruises and cuts I sustained. Dad died and I was just scraped and beat up, nature is a selfish bitch.

My stomach growled at me rudely, and I walked on.

"And if I only could. Make a deal, with God, and get him to swap our places….." I sang to myself as I walked, crossing one parking lot and going into a Starbucks.

Coffee and food, no rest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dave pulled up and 6:48, I wasted no time putting the Burner under his front wheel, handed him the gun and passed him the envelope with the money. Silently, he gave me a new manila envelope with my pay. I slipped it into my jacket and backed away from his car as he pulled away into traffic, cutting a guy off who leaned on the horn while experiencing that special kind of anger drivers reserved for other bad drivers. I checked the old Burner and it was crushed completely, no evidence to be pulled from that one.

My work day over, I walked up to the terminal waiting area to eat my sandwich from Starbucks and reevaluate all my life choices.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That seems wasteful." Loki said as he pushed at the broken mess of wires and plastic with the toe of his shoe, he had dropped the Glamour a few blocks ago, and his stormy blue eyes took in the mangled mess at his feet. Behind him, he heard the automatic doors to the terminal open, and an announcer over his head stated that the vessel for someplace called "Bremerton" would be departing in ten minutes.

"We risk loosing her if she boards a vessel!" Thor urged him and he began walking into the building and up the incline that led into the area above them for passengers, his taller frame standing out as he ascended into the building. An odorous man wearing rags approached him with his hand out, Loki ignored the pathetic creature and turned before he could be accosted by him.

Sighing, Loki walked through the doors after Thor who was waiting impatiently halfway up the incline.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I tore open the manila envelope and was not surprised at all by the contents of it.

Another Burner, which I turned on and put into my jacket pocket, a thousand dollars cash, which I buried in the bottom of my bag for safe keeping, and a bag of coke. I wadded up the white powder in the envelope and threw it away in the nearest trashcan, I never touched anything harder the booze or weed on principal, and was not about to start.

I unwrapped my sandwich, and used a napkin to wipe off the remains of my lipstick before eating, no sense ruining my food with a seasoning provided by the cosmetic companies. I paid zero attention to people as they came and went from the terminal, their lives were their own and I could care less about their stories. Chewing at the food in my mouth, I scrolled through my phone for some music while I ate. I was about to select Placebo when I knocked the empty paper cup from Starbucks off the counter. I put the phone back in my pocket, annoyed at my clumsiness and took another bite of sandwich before slipping off the stool to get the cup.

It was providence that I did knock the empty cup off the counter, because they would have seen me first.

I froze for a moment as panic clawed at my brain and throat as they walked together, there was something vaguely familiar about Surfer, as if I had seen him before today but I couldn't put my finger on it. Twilight scanned the waiting area, his stance completely relaxed and Surfer gestured for them to take different sides of the terminal as there was a large blind spot in the center of the waiting area where the ticket booth was. I held my breath as Twilight walked past me. Staying down and out of view under the counter and peeking at them through the crack between the chairs, I watched his back as he moved further along and past me. His hair was longer than I originally thought and as Surfer made his way around the far side of the ticket booth and out of sight, I took my chance on escape.

Grabbing my bag off the seat and fumbling with the last of my sandwich and the wrapper, I moved quickly and quietly. I walked backwards a bit toward the ramp toward the street, and as I turned to walk down the ramp my heart sank into my feet when I came face to face with Twilight. Unable to comprehend how quickly he got behind me, I noticed that he seemed to study me with cool blue eyes and he pinned me to my spot further with a predatory grin.

"Hello…." Was all he got out before I reacted, I shoved into him, placing my heel behind his ankle intending to throw him down but he was a good foot taller than me. I shoved him with one hand, and smashed the partially eaten sandwich into his face as a diversion. He went over backwards and I wasted no time running, hearing a set of heaver feet running up to help his friend as I hauled ass out onto the Seattle Streets.

Twilight wasted no time getting back up, and I turned as I ran to see them both burst through the doors of the terminal as I ran north along the Waterfront. With two larger men chasing me I only had two advantages on them, how well I knew these streets and how small I was.

I hoped to gain some headway on the duo so I could duck into Pirates Plunder, from the exit at the back of the store I could get lost on the Pier as it was a rabbits warren of shops, restaurants and an arcade near the back. Using my size as my advantage, I could find a way to double back and hopefully loose them or even hide until they figured they lost me and gave up. After that, I could catch a bus back to the Needle and from there I would find a place to lay low for the next few days.

A simple plan….right. Every plan is simple, and then someone fucks it up completely.

My legs were straining with the exertion as I swung my bag onto my shoulders and slipped my arms through the straps a I ran. I had just passed Ivars, when a cramp that wrapped around my back and shot through my stomach nearly throwing me off balance. I managed to push through the pain and keep going, but the cramp was enough to slow me down just enough for Twilight to grab my bag. After that, my reaction was pure instinct and I had no intention of giving up without a fight, I dropped to the ground on one knee and used my momentum to swing Twilight over my head. My left knee connected painfully with the ground, and I could feel blood starting to well up under my fishnet stocking as is scraped the ground painfully. I tucked my head into my chest as I felt his hand release my bag and he rolled to a stop in front of me in a heap, taking some satisfaction that he still had a piece of tomato stuck in his hair from the sandwich. I smoothly slipped the butterfly knife out of my boot and with a flick of my wrist, I opened the knife in a flourish of quick movements, the six inch knife was open and ready to go.

"You are a vexing little mouse girl." Twilight said smoothly as he stood up. "Not wise to do that, perhaps you do not understand that I am a creature with bigger claws."

"Fuck you cockwaffle." I said catching my breath in lungs full of battery acid. I tried to dart around him, but he kept anticipating my every move. He continued to toy with me as a predator toys with its prey, and he was actually enjoying it. It took everything I had to not slice his nose off before Surfer arrested me, but assaulting a cop was never a good idea.

I heard Surfer skid up behind me, so I put my back to the concrete railing that separated Seattle from Puget Sound at the sea wall, and kept the knife to the front of me pivoting on the both of them as a simple chase turned into a fight for my life. Even cornered prey could be dangerous if it had to be, and I was not going end up another random body dumped in an alley by Dave's goons for getting arrested. Surfer tried to grab my knife arm but I feinted away, just out of grasp and slashed at him with the blade.

My brain was going a mile a minute desperate to figure out an escape, and my only two options were risky at best. I could try to clear the rocky sea wall, and go over backwards into the Sound or I could risk it, and run headlong into the traffic on the street and try to make for the city itself. Both options could end badly for me, and if I survived I could still end up evidence somewhere. Maybe they could change my name, give me a new identity and hide me until I testified, but someday I would look over my shoulder and find a bullet with my name on it heading toward me.

"I have to ask, and it has been bothering me all day, what does this gesture mean?" Twilight asked me as he flipped me the bird. Surprised by the question, I gave him and incredulous look. That shocked half second where I lost my concentration was enough for Surfer to grab my knife wrist and twist my arm up behind my back, throwing me off balance and forcing me to drop my blade.

Twisting out of his grip, I turned on Surfer and drove my knee into his groin, feeling some well of satisfaction as I heard the wind get knocked out of him as my bleeding knee connected with his pride and joy painfully for both of us.

"It means Fuck You!" I shouted and tried to run into the street, but Surfer wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me back. I struggled, but the muscle bound python of his arm held me fast as he said one word:

"Heimdall."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the blinding flash of light faded, I took big gulps of air as my ass connected with cold, smooth marble and not the gritty Seattle sidewalk I expected. I took a second to catch the wind that had been knocked out of me, and realized that Surfer had an arm around my waist and I was sitting between his legs where we collapsed. His other arm had wrapped itself around me and his hand gripped my right breast. I extricated myself from his grip by going full Tasmanian Devil, kicking, biting, and clawing at his hands, I delivered an elbow to his groin again, and he released me from his grip hissing in the renewed pain. I elbowed him in the ribs for the boob grab and ended up bruising myself on a piece of his armor, and snapped into a whole new situation realizing that everything had changed around me.

"Do not fucking touch me Point Break!" I screamed scooting away from him on my butt as he cradled his crotch in his hands in pain and took deep breaths as his head rested on the floor, Twilight laughing at the sight of his fallen partner. As I scooted, I realized that we were now in a domed room, there were now four men standing around me, noticing suddenly that the clothes of Twilight and Surfer had changed in front of me somewhere along the way. My eyes may have gone wide when I realized this, and I used the wall I had scooted up against to brace myself as I stood up favoring my injured knee.

Determined not to show any fear, I braced my hands against the wall and prepared to find an opening to run. My bleeding knee screamed in agony as I carefully flexed it, and another pain wrapped itself and my back and stomach again threatening to double me over. I flinched at the pain, and nearly went over onto my knees because of it and groaned. I recognized Thor as he stood up carefully, and started to step toward me as my stomach revolted from the pain and I bent straight forward and nearly vomited what food was in my stomach but managed to hiss at him and edged away with my back to the wall.

The older man in the room stepped forward wearing golden armor and clothes, his one eye taking in my feral and injured form and I pressed myself back against the wall, wide eyed and filled with fear, trying to become one with the textured mass behind me. My arms wrapped around my cramping stomach, and adrenaline from the fight and chase leaving my body made me shake uncontrollably. My breath hissed in and out of my mouth in panic, and I put both of my hands out in front of me like a shield and began weighing options in my head.

"I gave strict instructions she was not to be harmed!" His voice boomed at Twilight and Thor. A darker skinned man in gold armor removed a sword from a pedestal and stood looking off into space as if everyone else in the room did not exist, I edged along the wall to get away from the men and shook.

"Look at her! She is much smaller than the both of you, and yet you had to harm her to get her here? She is fragile of body and vulnerable until she comes to her power!" His one blue eye shone with anger, and he addressed Twilight directly.

"What happened to her Loki!"

"She proved to be a bit more adept at trying to defend herself." Twilight answered him remaining calm as he addressed the old man. I took a deep breath as Thor's eyes shot me a look that sent ice through my veins and I tried to hide behind a pillar as the shaking came on harder and I groaned and sank partially to the ground. Twilight clamped a hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh as Thor limped toward me, the old man turned to face him.

"Thor." The old man said with a hint of warning in his voice as he took a step toward me. I squeezed myself further back behind the pillar and the wall, my muscles straining to not shake in fear and shock. His features softened as he looked at me, almost taking on a kind old grandfather appearance, yet he kept that sense of Regal Pride that hovered around him. A man and woman entered the room, and addressed him while bowing.

"Everything is ready for the arrival of the Illendrial Allfather." The woman said and she stared at me in amazement, her face grimaced when she saw my knee.

"May I bandage that for you Lady?" She asked me, her long dark hair shining in the light her warm voice kind, but my voice became lost in my throat and I pulled my leg back and closer to me. Her brows knitted as I finally let loose, I sank down to my butt and started to cry in frustration of the situation. They had me and I was probably nothing more than a pet to them. I let the sob escape my throat, as fear took over and gave way to sheer terror. Thor looked down obviously feeling some pity for me, the one called Loki snorted and I pulled my knees up to my chest as I stared to rock back and forth.

The old man took another step forward and I stood back up, still crying and afraid but ready to turn feral again should I need to. And who could blame me, they chased me around Seattle, fought with me, Thor groped me, and they had kidnapped me. Now I was cornered and my back was literally to a wall. Small and clever or not, I had no where to go and I began to understand the meaning of the words "fish out of water".

I hated myself for showing this much weakness, but I had no other choice at this time, I was trapped and had no clue where I was. I felt a trickle from my nose and instinct made me wipe at it with the back of my hand. I glanced down at it and saw blood on my smeared from knuckles to wrist, and knew it was smeared on my upper lip now. The old man's face hardened suddenly at the sight of the new injury, and I wanted to explain that it was probably caused by the cold dry air but thought better about speaking. He took a measured step toward me, gesturing everyone else in the room back as he took another.

"I am Odin, King of Asgard. You are not a prisoner, nor are you under any threat. Lady Sif means you no harm child, and while you are here, you are under my protection. While I understand you must have many questions, I ask you to save them for the morning You are injured and your wounds must be tended to soon." He approached me, and offered me a cloth that was tucked into his armor, and I shrank back again.

"What is your name child?"

I licked my lips and did not take the offered cloth, my body shaking worse and every bump and bruise from the fight was making itself painfully noticeable. I pressed myself further into the wall, and another tear fell from my face causing some of my mascara to burn my eye. For some stupid reason I almost told him my name was Raven, but some part of me said he would know I was lying, so I licked my lips and my voice normally confident and strong, came out shaky and weak.

"Lilliana Rose Hawthorne." I said in a whisper, and he smiled in a way that made me feel at peace.

"That is a lovely name child. Lilliana Rose Hawthorne, named for the flower of peace, the flower of love, and a strong and steady tree. I can see now, your parents…."

"Are dead." I cut him off without thinking, and immediately felt I should not have said anything at all. I called myself an idiot for giving him that information, and I shook as my back became painful from being pressed so hard against the wall.

His hand remained patiently open to me, and I took the cloth with a shaking hand and darted back to safety, using it to mop the blood off my face and chin. His hand remained open to me and empty, and with the pain in my knee becoming too much, I put my hand into his and gave in. I allowed him to tuck my small, long fingered hand into his elbow. My head swam for a moment as he walked toward a door, and black spots appeared at the edge of my vision as I nearly went over, and I had to take a breath to steady myself before he lead me to the doors of the room. He stopped and looked at me concerned, and squinted his eye at me while I shook for a moment.

"Are you well enough for horse? Or shall I send for other accommodations?" He asked me kindly.

"Never been…. on a horse." I said as my head swam and I stumbled.

"Why are you limping Thor?" the woman named Sif asked him and Twilight answered before Thor could.

"The Little Mouse put up a fight, it was highly amusing." He said in a velvet smooth voice.

"Shut up Loki," Thor grumbled. "I may treat you to the same bruising."

Loki put his hands up and tried too look afraid at the threat. Instead, he managed to convey the idea that he was not afraid to scrap with Thor.

"Both of you should contemplate your actions today, silently." Odin snapped at them as he led me to a large brown horse, and a pretty boy approached us. He put his hands out as I grabbed the saddle to steady myself, and he offered to lift me up onto the animal. I was in no condition to put up much of a fight over my personal no touching rule, and I allowed him to lift me up and guide me into the saddle. I slipped my right leg gingerly over the horse and immediately regretted wearing a short skirt as I had to fight with it to prevent it from riding up and displaying my crotch and in the process, I nearly fell off the horse to the side.

Suddenly, a long green and black leather coat was in front of me, and I stared wide eyed at Loki who was grinning sheepishly at me.

"Put it on, before your modesty is further damaged. We can't have Asgard seeing too much of you." He said and I took the coat from him and slipped my arms into the sleeves, and held the huge thing shut at my stomach.

I looked over, and Sif and Pretty Boy looked shocked at the gesture as Thor rode off ahead of us, Odin waited patiently on his own huge horse and Sif mounted the horse behind me and took the reins into her hands. I was shaking still, but not as bad. My head started to hurt a bit though, and I was starting to feel bone weary.

"I thought you would be more comfortable with me riding with you." She said, and I nodded my agreement. I rubbed my eyes, and let my fingers twist myself into my hair nervously, as my stomach gave another kick of pain to me.

"Did you know that you smell like a garden in full bloom Lady?" The Pretty Boy asked me extending his hand and making me forget the pain.

"Fandral," he said, as I reached out to take it and nearly fell off the horse.

"Lilliana." I choked out, and he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it politely.

"A sweeter name has never graced a finer Lady." He said smiling at me, and I resisted the urge to kick him off his horse to see if I could mess up his hair, but pain and common sense took over and I slouched forward.

I looked over at Loki as we began to ride, and gripped the jacket tighter around myself as I saw my backpack dangling off the back of his horse. I wanted to reach out for it, but thought better, he looked at me as if studying me and I looked down at my hands.

"I am many things," he said, "But a misogynist is not one of them, try not to bleed on it Little Mouse." He continued to study me, and I looked back at him, and tightened my lips, and I only formed one word in his direction in the quiet.

"Thanks."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the castle, I was escorted to their doctors to get my knee treated, the woman called Sif and Fandral walked with me. They both chatted, and their height and unreal beauty made me feel like a midget with a horrible deformity next to them. Sif stood taller than me, but was slightly shorter than Fandral, but had beautifully arched eyebrows, and Fandral had blonde curly hair that was perfectly cut and styled with a mustache that was perfectly groomed.

Fandral carried my bag, and I returned the coat to Loki who gave it a once over, and then turned arrogantly, looking down at me as he was called to speak with Odin. He gave a sigh as if it were something very distasteful for him, and stalked away. Thor was waiting for us as we arrived at the large, open room, and he opened the heavy doors for us to enter. Fandral handed me my bag, and waved a polite goodbye to us.

While I waited for their doctors to arrive, I dug my mirror out of my bag and stared in horror at my reflection. I was a complete mess, makeup caked and streaked all over my face, blood on my upper lip and chin, my hair messy and tangled. I dug some napkins and bottled water out of my bag quickly, and laid my hairbrush down to comb my hair when I had washed my face. The process of trying only made the whole thing worse, makeup was never meant to be removed with water and McDonald's napkins.

A dark haired woman entered the room and placed a tray holding a bowl of water, a bar of soap, and some cloths on the examination table next to me quietly and I immediately made use of the items. The soap and warm water felt good on my skin and I patted my face dry with an extra cloth. I then washed my hands, carefully scrubbing the grime around my nails and found that the soap removed my nail polish as well. It worried me a bit, because I started to wonder what it did to my skin and grabbed my mirror but only saw smooth and clean skin. Shrugging, I took my brush and carefully ran it through my hair until it was neatly smoothed and the natural waves came out in it as it fell down my back. I remover the clip in streaks of purple that I wore, and set them aside and pulled the hairpins out of the mass and turned it into a cascade of black that fell down my back. The woman removed the tray when I was done, and looked at me like I was a totally different person as she walked away and trough a door.

To be honest, I felt a bit better as I sat there alone in the quiet, but parts of me still felt trapped and nervous.

"Hard to believe there was a girl under that," Sif said, smiling as she and Thor entered the room. "And a rather pretty one too."

She set another tray down next to me filled with cheese, meat, and bread and poured me some fragrant wine into a cup before gesturing toward the food. Thor looked at me and didn't look away as he stood there, his arms relaxed and his eyes kept coming up to my face.

"Thor and I thought you would be hungry, namely because of the fact that you ruined your food by acquainting it with Loki's face earlier." A bemused smile spread across Sif's face, and she giggled at the thought.

"I would have loved to have seen that." She added as an afterthought.

I smiled at them and I heard a grumble behind me as Thor casually leaned against a wall, Sif turned to him and smiled a bit wider at me. I took a piece of the cheese and put it in my mouth and chewed at it picking at the rest of the food and wondering about a fruit that I had never seen before.

"This is good," I said and turned to Thor. "Sorry about the groin, and everything else. I admit that I may have reacted badly there, but I thought you guys were cops and I really didn't want to spend the night in Jail. My job is not really legal, and….really hard to explain." I tore off a piece of the warm bread and stuffed it into my mouth, not realizing how hungry I was as I chewed and swallowed. I sipped as the cup of wine, and as soon as it hit my semi empty stomach, it made me feel a bit dizzy and fuzzy headed.

"Forgiven. However, I must admit that you are quite brave for such a small being." Thor said, and I thought I detected a hint of him being impressed at the edge of the voice.

"Cops? Jail?" He inquired and Sif raised an eyebrow at me.

"Forgot, you guys are like Game of Thrones, Cops are like Guards, and Jail is like the Dungeon." I explained. I rubbed at my skin as they both nodded their understanding as my skin started crawling again, and the feeling of ants crawling over it returned.

"Game of Thrones?" Sif asked and I sighed.

"Fantasy entertainment we have. Like Harry Potter and Doctor Who." And she nodded again, but still looked lost.

"You are quite fierce from Thor's story, I believe. Perhaps I can help you to polish your skill?"

"Sure," I said as I chewed some of the meat, licking my thumb. "I'm short but I'm scrappy."

Both of them looked at me completely bewildered, and I swallowed the food in my mouth with another sip of wine. A slight fuzziness edged at my brain again, and I decided to quit drinking from the cup.

Drunk me caused way to much trouble.

"Short but tough." I said quickly looking down at the tray. Both of them made sounds confirming they understood, and I pushed the food away feeling satisfied and comfortable for the moment.

"When can I go back to Earth?" I asked, breaking the silence that had become heavy in the room.

"Optimus Prime said that I wasn't a prisoner, and that I was basically a guest here. Patch me up and send me back, because I'm pretty sure whatever you called me, I am not." Thor looked at me, and frowned, Sif looked at me and sighed.

"Don't insult the Allfather, and I am unsure of when you can go back to Midguard." Thor warned and I sighed, and wanted to argue more, but Sif looked at me and put her hand on top of mine.

"Perhaps some rest tonight, and we will see what the Allfather says after you meet with him." I sat silently and sighed for a long moment, turning the whole situation over in my head; I looked down at my knee which had stopped bleeding and was looking as if it was already healing. My hand wandered to my pocket and I thought about the joint in there, this was too much for me now. I was tired, everything ached, and my skin kept crawling. Even with minor injuries, I could fight back but being this tired meant that I would probably mess up and make stupid mistakes landing my self in a deeper world of hurt.

"Play stupid games," I said, "Win stupid prizes."

'What was that Lady?" Thor asked me. And I shrugged and flipped my hair back over my shoulder.

"Nothing….just thinking to myself." And I nearly started crying again, but managed to push that down and away.

The silence was broken by three women entering the room, two of them following a very stern faced older woman. One of the blonde women who entered was carrying a tray filled with jars, and bandages, the other carried another basin basin filled with water and placed on an adjoining table, the younger looking blonde woman removed the tray of food quietly. I swung my legs up in front of me, and the dried blood that began to scab over my knee cracked and oozed a bit painfully causing me to wince.

The two younger women looked at my boots confused as how to get them off and for a few moments I let them struggle with it, until I sighed realizing how elaborate they looked with all the buckles and straps. I gave in and turned my leg to the side, and unzipped the left boot, and the both of them looked slightly relieved at how easy it was to remove my footwear.

"Never seen a zipper before?" I poked at them and the girl carefully removed the boot so not to jerk my leg around too much. The other girl unzipped and removed my other boot as the stern looking woman arranged her tools busily. Sif took the boots and laid them on another table quietly and I had a feeling that that table was going to end up fuller by the end of the exam.

"I am Eir," The stern faced woman said politely while bowing. "I will tend to your wounds, would you please lay back and try to relax?" What was up with the bowing to me? I shrugged and lay down on the table as she looked me over and sighed at the mess I was.

"Do you have any pain internally, that may me more than what you are currently experiencing?" She asked and tapped buttons on the edge of the table.

"No, just a headache." I said as my skeleton appeared above my head and she studied it carefully, my eyes widened at it as I saw my cardiovascular system overlay the bones, and then my organs began to appear one at a time. I was a bit freaked out, but the woman remained calm as she looked.

"Your heart is beating a bit to fast." She said as I looked up.

"Yeah, well seeing this is a bit freaky." I said back and tried to remain still on the table.

I felt a hand on my thigh and my head screamed that it was a bad thing, I jerked backwards and in one fluid motion, I was off the table as fast as a rabbit escaping a fox. From the look on everyone's face, I must have looked insane to them. Sif had her hands up with her palms out and the fight left me as fast as it came on, I suddenly felt embarrassed at scaring all of them with my reaction.

"Sorry," I said swallowing hard, and rubbing my arm. "I really don't like being touched without warning like that."

I moved slowly, climbing back onto the examination table, and I reached up under my skirt to unhook the garter from the stocking, I rolled my stocking down my leg to the knee and repeated it with the other one. One of the younger women moved forward to help, Eir still kept her distance from me though, the image of my body vanishing.

"I am going to have to have you remove your coat as well." Eir said, and I nodded slipping my arms out of the sleeves, wincing at a pain in my shoulder. Sif took it out of my hands as the women eyed my clothes, making me painfully aware of how different I looked from everyone.

"Could you remove the collars around your neck and the belts as well?" She asked then, bewilderment creeping across her stern face, and I looked down at myself. I noticed for the first time that the strap on my corset had torn, and the lining was showing through. I must have been a sight.

"Perhaps we should bring her some different clothes?" One of the girls suggested, and Eir gave her a nod of approval. The girl then measured my foot before leaving the room on her errand.

"I am sort of a sore thumb." I offered and everyone looked at me exasperated.

"I stand out." I explained, rolling my eyes and everyone nodded their understanding.

Eir held out her hand as I unhooked the studded belt and I placed it over her palm, I then added the heaver metal ringed belt, followed by my studded dog collar, and the studded wristlet. She raised her eyebrows at the strange accessories and I removed the padlock and chain from around my neck.

"Midguardians." Thor chuckled and Eir continued to hold her hand out. I gave her a look that asked her what she wanted and she turned away from me and she put the collection of leather and metal on the table with my boots. Sif picked up one of the belts, studied it for a moment, and set it back down.

"I will need to touch you to tend your wound." Eir said, and the girl returned with a long purple dress and a pair of flat shoes. The girl held them up for my approval and I gave her a quick thumbs up. Her smile faded and I sighed knowing that I would have to explain ninety percent of what came out of my mouth.

"She approves," Sif said taking the clothes. Folding the plain corset over her arm and standing by to calm me should the need arise.

"Lay back." Eir said to me and I put my head back down on the table as they all began working quickly.

Eir went to work removing my stocking and cleaned off the dried blood as one of the girls approached cautiously with a lancet and a slide. I eyed her as she came closer and debated yelling something to see if the girl would jump out of her skin.

"I need a drop of your blood Lady." She said and I silently offered her my fingertip, she took her sample and Eir applied topical ointment to my knee that smelled rather nice and tingled a bit as she began wrapping my leg in a bandage.

Sighing, I started feeling bone tired and I began to let my eyes droop slightly. My knee being moved jerked me back awake, and Eir and the girls stood back waiting for me to react. The three of them began applying ointment to my bruises, and one of the girls rolled off my other stocking revealing a gash on my calf that I got a few days ago while drunk.

"It's old." I said, and Sif relaxed. I wondered if she would have gone after Thor if I hadn't said anything.

"I will wait in the hall." Thor said as the three women finished, and Sif helped me off the table so I could wash and change my clothes. I stripped off my old clothes, and tossed them over with the belts and other debris, becoming all too aware that the women in the room were appraising my body. I leaned against the table to hide the tattoo on my hip to avoid questions. Eir handed me a cloth and a basin of warm water and a large cake of soap was brought to me for a quick cloth bath.

"You can take a proper bath in the morning." Sif said as I wet one cloth and soaped it up to wash everything that may be smelly or grimy.

"Cool." I replied calmly, and one of the girls, looking worried dipped her fingers in the water to test the temperature. She pulled her hand back, and was about to state that the water was warm, but I cut her off.

"No," I said shaking my head.

"Cool is what we say when we like something or agree." Everyone nodded their understanding, and I pulled a long shift over my head.

Eir wrapped the corset around my waist and I put my arms out so she could start lacing it up my back and involuntarily grunted in pain when she tightened the garment around my sore ribs. Sif picked up my bra and looked at it, raising an eyebrow at me and I grinned back at her.

"That is way more comfortable to wear than a corset, and can you wait before you toss my jacket on the pile, there is stuff in the pockets I want to keep." Sif nodded and complied, complied burying the bra under the pile of clothing to hide it and I quickly went through the pockets while Eir cinched the corset tight around me. I found the joint and the lighter; smiling wickedly to myself I laid them on the table for later use.

'What is that?" Sif asked honestly curious at the items.

"I need to unwind a bit after we leave," Eir pulled the dress over my head and adjusted the wide collar on my shoulders. It reminded me of something out of Lord of the Rings with the long flowing sleeves, and the fine embroidery at the collar. "I don't think they will let me smoke in here."

Eir sighed and laced the dress as I checked my Galaxy to see if it got broken in the fight, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was still working just fine. All four women drew close to see what it was and grinning to myself I opened the music app and clicked Tori Amos. All three of them backed away as Tori began singing Winter.

"That is rather pleasant." We heard behind us, and I tucked the joint and lighter into my hand while turning to see Thor and Loki standing behind us. Loki remained stoic but still looked at me from head to toe. Thor openly looked surprised at me and his jaw hung slightly slack.

"Music from Earth." I said holding up my phone. I turned off the music and shoved it and the two portable chargers that were in an inner jacket pocket into my bag. The joint and lighter disappeared into a hidden pocket on the dress as one of the girls tied my long hair back up out of my face.

"You look lovely Lady." Thor said picking up my bag from the table. "The new clothes become you."

I noticed Loki was rolling his eyes as he lifted the dog collar off the table and returned it, he then wiped his hand on a cloth as if he touched something slimy. He studied me as someone would an ant or another annoying animal.

"Problem Twilight? Still mad about the sandwich?" I poked the bear, yeah, I know not bright. But this asshole needed to be taken down an arrogant peg or two. He ignored me and I poked further, debating if I should use a sharper stick, as my blood began to boil.

"Seriously Jerkface, how did you get the mayonnaise out of your hair because the stuff is really greasy. But then again, you can't really tell with the entire styling product isle at Sephora up there."

Suddenly, another of him was standing next to me, and I yelped in shock as it towered over me. The other him vanished in a fade of green smoke as I watched leaving no trace of the person who was once there.

"I posses a great deal of gifts Little Mouse, now I suggest you mind yourself." He answered coolly.

"Loki." Thor said in a warning tone as my heart jumped and lurched in my chest at a million miles an hour.

"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw." I blurted out and everyone in the room looked at me, including Loki, for clarification.

"I don't want to explain that one." I said and closed my eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure of this?" Loki asked Odin incredulously. "The girl is nothing, a vexing problem at best…."

"I am, and she needs to learn who she is and how to use her gifts. If she ever looses control of them, the consequences could be horrendous for anyone near her." Odin replied cutting Loki off before he could continue his protest, causing him to feel inner ire at the interruption.

He sighed at the task now given to him and pinched the bridge of his nose. First sent to Midguard to fetch the little wretch, now ordered to teach her. All this was becoming far too much and he did not want the honor of having the pest following him about everywhere he went. His cell in the dungeon looking more and more pleasant by the moment.

And taking her as a student, it was something he did not want at all. He would rather have been tasked with teaching a horse to sit than to teach this girl how to use her gifts.

"Can she even learn?" Loki asked, "Because I will not be held responsible for her shortcomings." His calm mask nearly dropped thinking of having the deal with that vulgar, unkempt girl who most likely could barely read or write. He had done wrong in his past, but he would rather be dead or banished than here, especially now with that girl as his charge and student.

He was about to protest more and do something to irritate Odin when a thought crossed his mind, and he internally laughed. The girl may be some use to him after all.

"I believe you may be surprised by her, she is unrefined but is capable of much. Prove yourself wrong, and you may find Lilliana Rose to be an adept student." Odin said, the guard coughing behind him to cover a laugh.

"Should you succeed, I am willing to pardon you of your crimes publicly. Just so long as you do not find any further ways to otherwise irritate me."

Loki stood in the silence contemplating his plan, and somewhat surprised by Odin's words. A pardon would return him to some form of status, and the girl was powerful and possibly easily swayed, manipulated for his use and gain. Perhaps if he accepted the task, she could be convinced over to his side. He showed none of this externally, and took in a breath before bowing to Odin.

"Very well Allfather," Loki said and sighed in feigned annoyance. "I accept your task."

"Do not cause us troubles in the process Loki, you may return to your chambers for the time being. However, I suggest you go and see if she is well, I expect that you will assess me later on her progress." Odin replied and he turned sharply on his heel to leave the presence of the Allfather.

"You may be surprised by her, Heimdall said she is capable of great things."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bandaged, semi clean, and somewhat human, I followed the trio down one opulent hall after another. I couldn't help but gape at the pillars and columns as they rose high above me, and each tall archway made me feel downright tiny in comparison. Thor stopped and opened a set of double doors that revealed a suite that made most Million Dollar Condos in Seattle look like walk-in closets. The huge four posted bed against the far wall drew my attention as it was piled high with pillows and the blankets called to me on a deeper more pleasant level.

"Does this room please you lady?" Thor asked me as I studied the fireplace that was big enough to roast an entire cow in, the mantle at least six inches above my head.

"Holy hell yeah." I said and peeked behind a screen to see a large copper bathtub on four clawed feet, toiletries sitting on a table next to it, waiting for use. I looked at the open windows, and saw a private balcony with chaise lounges on it. Standing in the doorway, I took in a deep breath of night blooming jasmine and roses carried on the breeze and nearly let my wall crack a bit in front of them.

"We thought you would like a view of the gardens." Thor added seeing my shoulders tense and I turned around to see them all watching my every move. I then found a perch on one of the window ledges, and fished the joint and lighter out of my pocket. Sitting with my feet dangling, I attempted to spark a flame, and even Loki watched with a bit of interest as I continued my attempt.

"So,' I said finally lighting the joint. "How long until Odin speaks to me, and how much longer until I am allowed to go back home. Not that I am NOT enjoying the hospitality, but I really need to get back. My boss gets mad if I don't show up or answer the phone."

I took a long pull from the joint and held the smoke in my lungs, the shop was right about this blend, it was good and it helped me instantly feel calmer. I let the smoke out and offered it to Sif, and coughed a bit as my head began to swim.

"Unknown," Loki said breaking the awkward silence and Sif took the joint from my hand giving it a tentative smell jerking her head back slightly.

"Marajuana." I said as she raised an eyebrow at me. "We smoke it to relax on Earth, and it is sometimes used as medicine for nervous conditions. Go easy on it if you have never done it before, it can feel overwhelming."

She cautiously took a puff off if it and repeated everything I did. She released the smoke in a coughing fit and tried to hand it off to me as she leaned over. I took it from her and took another pull, I offered it to Thor next, and he waved his hand in a definite no.

"Magic Dance?' I offered it to Loki, and he frowned at me as if I had offered him my pet slug. Sif looked at me calmly, and sat down on the couch and she smiled at the name I called Loki.

"I don't feel any more calm," she said and I shrugged.

"Just a bit hungry." She added.

"Maybe it does not affect you like it does me, but it can make you feel hungry." I said as hopped down from my perch and I dug into my bag for one of the giant sized chocolate bars I had. I pulled out a couple of well battered paperbacks in my digging and noticed that Loki had taken an interest in the books. Finding them, I opened one of them and broke off a piece for Sif and handed it to her.

"Chocolate, you eat it. It is mostly sugar, but it really tastes good."

She took it and experimentally tasted the candy, she looked up surprised at the taste, and offered some to Thor leaning back against the couch.

"It is very good." She said and I gave her the rest of the bar after breaking off a small piece for myself. She put the rest of it in her pouch on her hip and Thor looked at me, concerned about her smoking a bit of the joint.

"She will be fine," I said, "If someone as small as me can handle it she can, and this stuff is really harmless compared to the other stuff we use to get a buzz."

Thor ate the candy, and he made an expression that he did like it. I picked up the books and put them back in my bag, and put out the joint before wrapping it back up in the baggie with the lighter tossing them both back in the bag. Loki glared at me with an air of disapproving arrogance, and I made it my life's esteem to ignore him. I sat on the bed and sighed, feeling very lonely suddenly in the very occupied room.

I was the only person here who understood most of what I said, and I didn't fit in. I may not have gone out of my way to fit in on Earth, but here, I was a novelty and it was painfully obvious. I began missing Seattle, and my skin itched and crawled. Nervously, I scratched at the back of my left hand and glanced at the ring on my thumb.

 _Damnit Dad._ I thought to myself for a moment. _Why the hell am I here and where the hell are you now that I need you?_

"Anything the matter?" Thor asked concerned, and I jerked out of my thoughts and I looked at him seeing concern cross his face.

"No," I replied lying a bit for his benefit. "Just tired. It has been a long day for me, and I am not used to beating up two Gods on the streets of Seattle."

Loki sighed and everyone ignored him, from his attitude I could tell that he was used to being ignored and was happy that way. At that moment, with three sets of eyes on me, I would have paid millions to be in his shoes. But I wasn't and I had to deal with being the current center of attention.

"We shall take out leave then." Sif said and began ushering Thor out the door. Loki was the last to leave the room and he was about to latch the door when I asked the question that had been on my mind since arriving here, it made him freeze and he looked at me with gray blue eyes dropping his mask of arrogance for a fraction of a second. The sound shattered the silence like a gunshot despite it only being a whisper.

'Why me?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki walked back to his own chambers alone after leaving the girl, he remembered the question she had whispered as it echoed off the wall of her rooms she had been given to rest in. The sadness in her eyes as she looked at him as he left her alone for the night, and the depth in them he saw for a moment before she turned back to worrying at the back of her hand. And curling up on her side on the bed as he watched her.

"Why me?"

It was a question he had asked himself many times, but never received a satisfactory answer to, he paced a bit around his chamber, looking at the books over stuffing the shelves against one wall, and picked up a small polished stone that glowed with an internal light of violet and admiring it. It was like her eyes, deep pools of twilight with a spark of fire that screamed about how she took in more that she let on. She studied people, and her desire to be left to her own thoughts was evident when she looked at Thor and Sif.

She had the eyes of a tragedy.

He now wondered after seeing the defeat on her face if telling her was the correct course of action. She was powerful, but exactly how powerful was she? Could she be used or manipulated in any way for his benefit or would she fight him every step of the way?

He set the fist sized stone and sat it on a table as he sat down in a heavy, high backed chair. He toyed with the globe with his finger tips and waved his hand casually in the air, making her image appear in front of him. He studied it carefully and saw a small detail glinting from the thumb on her left hand, a silver ring inset with a red stone. It was heavier than the small silver band she wore on her middle finger with a black stone and more masculine than the long silver ring with tendrils of vines that ran the length of her index finger from one knuckle to the other.

A sly smile crossed his face as he realized that he did have a key, the obviously masculine ring must have belonged to her Father. Her dead father, he looked more at the image and looked into the eyes of it as it stared forward like a doll, expressionless.

Odin was still guarded about his purpose for the girl, and it made him close his fist around the stone as he toyed with it. What was the old man going to do with her when she was deemed ready to leave his charge, what plans were in store for her future?

Odin had a new pet relic in his castle now, and it held his curiosity.

He knew that he would have to keep her from Fandral, he would flirt unmercifully with her, and eventually, end up charming the girl. That would be easy, but how did one find their way into manipulating a pretty little creature who kept herself hidden in plain sight?

"Do you like pretty little things Little Mouse?" He asked the image, and it continued to stand silently in front of him.

He leaned forward, leaving the stone on the table, and studied her further in the quiet. Odin would use her as a weapon, but why was he so worried about her safety?

"Now Little Mouse," He said again to the illusion before making it vanish. 'What gifts will Odin promise you to make you his weapon, and how might I prevent that?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

"Good morning Lady." The woman shaking my shoulder said pleasantly, startling me fully awake and causing me to raise my head to see a pair of warm, brown eyes looking at me. I nearly screamed when I realized I was not alone in the room, and she backed away quickly out of flailing distance as I jerked about and tried to make a break for it. My foot got tangled in the sheet as I tried to leap out of the bed, and I would have gone crashing to the floor if Sif hadn't caught me under the arms. I relaxed openly as Sif laughed at my predicament, the other woman looking sorry for the sudden shock knotted her hands worriedly in front of her.

"You looked like a bird trying to learn now to fly and leave the nest." Sif laughed out, barely able to breathe through the laughter. I wanted to slap at Sif, but she still had a firm grip under my arms and to option of hitting the hard floor below was not attractive.

"I am so sorry Lady," The woman who woke me blurted out nervously. "I did not know I would frighten you so. I would have been kinder in my waking you. I am Aimee." She said bowing to me slightly.

"Hi," I said extricating my foot and standing on the floor. I shook off the last of the previous nights sleep, and Sif let me go and sat down on the couch. "It's fine, I'm just a heavy sleeper."

The woman smiled, and I studied her golden brown hair and the way the highlights shone in the morning sunlight beautifully. She bowed again slightly and began filling the tub with water and different oils quickly, making sure the metal bottom of it was warm before I sat down in it.

"Is anyone here shorter than me? I asked Sif, walking around the huge room nervously. She picked up a book I had been thumbing through the night before after everyone left and she smiled at me amused.

"Stop laughing at my near accident." I threw a pillow from the bed at her, and she blocked it with one hand deftly.

"There may be a child or two, perhaps and infant." She quipped back at me and I sighed, Aimee startled me by trying to pull my shift over my head. I stopped her before she could, and she took her hands away quickly.

"Your bath is ready Lady, may I assist you in washing your hair?" She asked looking slightly hurt and I put my hand out and touched her shoulder gently, trying to calm my own heart before it jumped out of my chest and ran down the halls.

"She is not used to our ways Aimee," Sif said. "You may need to explain yourself before you act until she becomes accustomed to your actions."

Aimee smiled at Sif and I walked behind the screen to remove the shift myself and slowly sank into the warm water. Aimee guided my head back against another cloth draped over the edge of the tub and went to work gently washing my hair before drying it and working another oil in the stringy mess. She then carefully twisted it on top of my head as I relaxed for a bit, allowing the fragrant oils to seep into my skin, and I heard Sif mumble something to herself.

"What?" I asked her, and she raised her voice slightly.

"What is a HAB?" She asked me. Obviously reading part of The Martian _._

"It means Habitat; it is a shelter for people visiting other planets to find safety, and breathable air. There is no atmosphere on Mars, so humans can't breathe there."

"Oh, so this book is fantasy?" She asked.

"Yeah, it is made up, but with science going the way it is, humans may actually get to explore that little red planet."

"That would be exciting for the Mortals." She said, "Quite amazing, their sense of curiosity."

"You can say that, maybe it is our turn to reach out and say hello to the universe." I replied smiling as Aimee placed a clean white tunic on a stool along with a pair of black leather pants.

"Why is this mortal alone on the planet?" Sif inquired further.  
"The rest of his team thought he was dead, and they had to leave him behind because of a bad storm." I soaped the cloth and began to wash my shoulders and neck as I heard Sif put the book down, and sigh.

"Sounds terribly lonely, to be left alone on a strange world." Aimee said as I washed.

"You can be lonely in a crowded room." I said and I heard Sif agree with a sound in her throat.

"After you meet with the Allfather, Thor and Fandral wish to show you Asgard. A nice ride through the city and woods will be good for all of us" Sif said as I took the bandage off my knee, finding it completely healed without leaving a scar. I figured it had something to do with the ointment that was smeared on it last night and was impressed at their medicines, even the bruises they had applied ointment to were gone.

"Great," I said rinsing the soap off of myself. "But I don't know anything about horses, I will probably fall off it and break my neck."

I could hear her laugh, and I got annoyed at her. I then threw the wet cloth over the screen, and it landed on the floor with a wet slap.

"Missed." Aimee announced giggling, and I heard Sif laugh on the other side of the screen.

'We will show you Lady Lilliana." She said as I stood up from the tub. Aimee wrapped a dry cloth around my shoulders and I dried myself.

"Lilly." I said, "You can call me Lilly, and please drop the Lady part." I said putting on the pants and tunic and walked around the screen. Aimee wrapped a Black Corset around my waist and chest before I could protest, and laced it up the front. She then unlaced the front of my pants and tucked the tunic in for me before returning to the corset, cinching it tight around me. I put my arms out facing her, and nearly fell over when she gave a hard tug in the thin laces that made me stagger, I braced my bare feet and groaned.

"I may need to breathe." I said to Aimee and Sif laughed at the show as Aimee brought forward a mauve silk coat with a high collar. I put my arms into it, and Aimee laced the front of the coat up, and then went to work on my hair.

She combed it back neatly, allowing a few curls to frame my face in gentle wispy strands, and braided my hair into two braids, finishing by twisting them into an elaborate bun before securing it all at the back of my head with a gold comb shaped like a butterfly. She picked up a hand mirror and showed me her work in the larger mirror in the vanity in front of me. I nearly didn't recognize myself as I looked. The coat flowed behind me as the tail of it went to my knees in a taper, and it hugged my torso in flattering lines and angles. The hairstyle flattered my heart shaped face nicely, making it seem regal but still softened it gently. I removed three pairs of hoops, setting them on the table and leaving in the cartilage piercing and the pair of amethyst button earrings and set the extra jewelry on a tray on the vanity. I turned and put my arms out and Sif smiled nodding as Aimee helped me into a pair of mid calf leather boots, carefully lacing them into place. She then clapped her hands and beamed at her work, I looked at the girl in the mirror more, and deep down I liked what I saw.

"A true Lady, and a vast improvement over the girl who appeared the night before." Sif said as a knock came from the heavy door making me jump slightly and Aimee moved on to make the bed, tucking blankets and sheets in under the mattress.

Is she ready to receive us?" Thor asked as Sif answered the door, and I could see Aimee blush openly and quickly check her hair in the mirror before straightening her dress and apron and went back to making the bed. I giggled to myself at how she acted, like a rabid fan about to meet their favorite rock star.

"She is decent Thor." Sif said and opened the door to allow Fandral and him in. Fandral gaped at me when he saw me, and stopped and admired me before walking forward and taking my hand in his.

"Good morning dear Lady Lilliana," He bent and kissed the back of my hand as he bowed with an arm behind his back. "You are lovely beyond words this morning, and the sun is jealous that you shine brighter than it."

I pulled my hand back trying not to offend him, but still placed some distance between myself and him. Sif rolled her eyes so hard, I thought she could see her own brain. Thor groaned softly as he crossed his arms over his massive chest.

"Is this guy for real?" I asked Sif as I pointed at Fandral, raising an eyebrow and she laughed openly as Thor chuckled low in his chest, Fandral smiled showing me every tooth he could.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sif said and stood up walking to the door. "Fandral is not only a natural flirt, but a very skilled swordsman. Let us not keep the Allfather waiting; I crave the fresh air of our ride today." She opened the heavy door to find Loki standing in the hall with his hand raised to knock and he stepped aside. Sif pushed past him rudely and I was able to gather there was some bad blood between the two.

"Lovely to see you as well Sif." He said in his usual sardonic way, and looked at me studying my clothes.

"Planning on taking her somewhere?" He asked Thor, raising a long finger to accentuate the question.

"Fandral and Sif wish to allow her a tour of Asgard, perhaps it will be good for her after the meeting."

"Something pleasant after a hard truth is revealed." Loki quipped and seemed to think it all over to himself. "Do you mind if I accompany you then?"

Thor seemed to turn the question over in his mind as we all stood in a loose circle, and I suddenly got the feeling that there was a great deal of bad blood between everyone and Loki and it would be best if I kept my distance from him. Sensing the tension, I began unconsciously picking at the back of my hand again and quickly stopped when I realized I was doing it.

"Well, we better get going." I said quickly and trying to sound chipper, hoping the tension I was feeling did not show in my voice.

"We don't want to keep anyone waiting on us." I said and Loki stepped to the side in the doorway as I breezed past him to Sif who took my elbow gently and began leading me down the hall.

"What is your scheme brother?" Thor asked Loki as we walked, and I felt better with Thor watching my back, but still worried that a fight was brewing.

"No scheme at all, just wanting to ensure that you cause no further harm to the Little Mouse." He replied and I nearly spun on him to punch him for calling me that, yes I was shorter than everyone, but calling me that was irritating me. Sif tightened her grip on my elbow gently and I decided against it.

"Very well then brother," Thor said, and I hoped his agreeing would cause Loki to decide I was not worth his time and he would let us just go on our own. "You can take the rear and see we are not set upon."

"Have you recovered from your injuries?" Loki asked the back of my head, and I really didn't want to answer him at all, so I continued forward. Sif gave my elbow a little squeeze and I took in a deep breath and let it out, the guy gave me the creeps.

"Yes," I replied, feeling an answer to an innocuous question would not be a problem. "Everything was completely healed this morning when I woke up and there is not even a scar. I definitely want a jar of that stuff to take home with me, I'm a huge clutz."

"Our medicines heal, but not that fast." Sif said, stopping in the hall and looking at me surprised by me revelation. Nervously, I began picking at the back of my hand again and I nearly jumped put of my skin when a guard walked past us quickly.

"No bruises at all?" Thor asked me, and I shook my head no to answer him.

"You were a walking wound last night." Sif said and I looked down at my feet nervously.

"Is this bad?" I asked feeling like a lab rat.

"No, Lady, just an odd occurrence." Fandral said in a pleasant tone and we continued walking, and I had to force myself to stop picking at my hand.

"Interesting." Loki said behind us to no one in particular as we walked on.

XXXXX'XXXXXXXXXXXX

When we arrived in the Throne Room, Odin was already speaking with another man in heavy armor so we stood waited silently for him to finish his meeting with the soldier. A tickle of a sneeze formed in me, and I tried desperately not to let it out. I rubbed my nose as the two men spoke quietly, their heads leaned close together as they looked at a paper. The man in the armor looked directly at me and gave a soft smile and I smiled back nervously, feeling out of place in the huge room with the large, ornate throne.

I looked around the room nervously, and let my eyes look at the ornate decorative columns. The stonework impressive and strangely beautiful, still making me feel tiny in my own body though. Loki steeped up beside me and I saw him looking at me as I studied everything, smirking at me arrogantly in silence.

It was then the sneeze won the battle.

It was a small sneeze, but in the deafening quiet it was louder than a bomb going off. it echoed off the pillars and walls causing everyone in the room to turn and look at me including Odin, who looked at me in open amusement.

"It seems someone here is anxious to get my attention," He said to the man next to him, the man in armor smiled at me and nodded, laughing at my accident.

"Excuse me." I said politely, but the damage was done and I desperately wanted to be someone else in that moment. I then looked down at my feet as if they had become interesting, and nervously tugged and straightened my coat.

"Is this the same Lady Lilliana Rose from last night?" Odin asked me and my head snapped up to see he was not angry with me at all, and there was a look of amazement on his face as he took in the clothes I was wearing.

"Yes sir." I said softly, feeling extremely small again.

'I thought so, and this woman standing before me now is a wondrous improvement from the feral creature brought before me at the Bifrost, if you will allow me to say." He dismissed the other man he was having the meeting with, and the man bowed quickly while tucking a helmet under his arm. As he walked past, he looked at me as if he had never seen a woman before and I blushed. I had never turned heads in a positive way, and this would take some getting used to.

Odin walked over and sat on his throne motioning for me to step forward as he sat down in it. I looked at Sif and she smiled at me reassuringly, but my feet still felt heavy and glued to the floor. Tentatively, I stepped forward, and stood at the bottom of the steps facing him, and feeling like I was about to get in trouble for doing something bad.

"I do not know how to properly soften the blow that is about to come child, so I will just come out and say it." He began, and looked pained. "You are what is known as the Illendrial, a being of great power who can command the six elements that created the universe, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, and Death."

The world gave a lurch sideways suddenly, and I nearly fell over as I shook my head no. They were so mistaken, I was a nobody with a weird eye color and an even weirder birthmark.

"You feel this power now, do you not? Perhaps as an itch on your skin?" He asked me and I tried my best to not scream. I was silent, and I think I nodded as I could feel my heart sinking into my stomach. My head swam a bit then, and I could barely breathe as he watched my reaction.

"Not me." I said and the ground tilted sideways again, my hands found the floor first, and Thor came forward to help me to stand up.

"Calm yourself child," Odin said, "When you are ready, I shall continue." I shook all over like a leaf, but managed to get my feet back under me. Thor held my arm and hand and I pushed him away gently, I turned in the quiet room and breathed through my mouth.

"Why did no one ever tell me this?" I asked Odin, tears burning at my eyes, "Maybe someone could have sent an Owl, maybe a letter earlier in my life? A visit from one of them would have been helpful!" I shouted, pointing at the people standing around me.

"Owl?" Odin asked suddenly.

"Harry Potter, it is a children's fantasy book, it is not important." I said feeling the need to be angry suddenly. "You have to be wrong about me, I am not who or whatever you think I am. I'm an idiot, and I have no powers. Dry skin maybe, but not a single power."

I gestured with my right hand and everyone had backed away suddenly, because as I made a slashing movement across my body, a flame erupted from my hand that licked at my fingertips growing slowly to engulf my entire hand without even singeing the skin. I looked at it dumbfounded, staring at the blue fire as I shook in fear and dropped to my knees. Two guards came forward with their weapons drawn and I continued to stare at it as my heart pounded in my chest, Thor stopped the men and they backed away from me.

"Make it stop!" I shouted in panic and disbelief. "Please!"

But the flames got stronger as my panic set in, and my heart began pounding in my ears as I gasped for air in the open room.

"Pull it back into yourself, imagine that you are the flame itself, and tell it to return to your core." A voice behind me said quickly. I looked at Loki, and he urged me on. "Concentrate, and focus on your breathing. Don't look at me girl, panic makes it unmanageable, breathe and focus. You control it you foolish girl, it does not control you, now breathe and pull it back."

I focused on the flame and calmed my breathing as told, I watched my hand as the flame started getting weaker, and I slowly focused on the source of it in my hand. I watched cautiously and counted my heartbeats and the flame dimmed to a purple, and then went out completely. Staring at my hand, I shook and a tear fell down my cheek that I couldn't hold back anymore, I looked at Loki and then back down at the floor.

"Good, you clever girl. It is your gift, and you managed it well for your first time." Loki said, and I looked back at him.

"Can I give this gift back?" I asked him. Odin stood and everyone in the room visibly sighed in relief as the guards backed off, my legs splaying further on the floor until I sat there still staring at my hand in disbelief.

"Illendrial." I whispered and looked up at Odin.

"Am I some kind of monster?" I asked him, afraid that he would say yes, but his eye softened as he looked down at me extending his hand to help me up. I wiped the tear away quickly, and took his hand using it to get to my feet.

"That is a choice you must make, and no one in this room can make it for you." He said to me and placed his other hand over mine as he held it. "You can use your gifts to protect, to destroy, or choose to suppress them and never use them at all. But, you will be hunted because of what you are. Your birth was a legend, a story if you will, to us told on long nights. Until one day Heimdall saw you among all the other beings and brought you to my attention, he saw your powers begin to awaken, and I had to act to bring you here. You may not believe it now, but you are capable of so much, and all you need to do is learn how to wield these powers before you can leave this world. Otherwise, you pose a threat to everyone and everything around you" He released my hand and cupped my chin in his hand, tilting my head up to meet his eye.

"I am sorry that your parents never told you what you were, but all I can only assume that they did not know themselves." Odin sighed, and he gave me a soft squeeze on my cheek as he studied my face. He saw something in my eyes and smiled a warm, fatherly smile at me and looked somewhat sad.

"You have a kindness to you I have not seen in a long time, you are no more terrible than a gentle breeze, however your will is the strongest I have ever seen. You remind me so much of her" He let go of me, and I stood there, and swallowed hard, taking in everything that was said to me.

"Heimdall?" I asked as Odin walked around behind me and I turned to face everyone in the room.

"The Watcher at the Bifrost." He replied, pacing the room as I stood still.

"You were brought here when he opened it." Sif walked close to me and put her arm around my shoulders to support me, but Thor, Loki, and Fandral kept their distance from me as if I were a bomb about to explode. I looked at Odin, and searched his face for any fear at all of me, and I found none at all. Instead I saw a look of curiosity and a cool majesty as he watched me, appraising me again.

"So I am just a thing, and I am hunted because of what I am? WHY?" I punctuated the silence around me with the last question like a bullet.

"Because of what you are capable of." Odin sighed. "You, when you fully understand your gifts will be able to shift time, bend reality, take life, give life, and eventually be able to travel to any time and place you can imagine. You will also be able to create and destroy as you wish. Although, you will need to carefully weigh the consequences and benefits of your actions child, I fear you will be used for sinister means if the desire of any being that so deems it. Your immortality also makes you a target as well, you will need to be able to defend yourself should the need arise."

"Wait? I'm immortal? Like can never die?" I interrupted him, and he looked at me. The way I healed then made sense, and I tensed my shoulders a bit waiting for the next blow to come.

"I am not entirely sure of this," he said calmly. "You were a legend to us until recently."

"Is that why I was kidnapped and brought here? I did not ask for this crap, and I don't want it!" I crossed my arms in front of me and felt a bit of anger building in me as I stood there, and it was a better stance to take instead of closing my fists.

"I brought you here to keep you safe, and so that you could learn to control your gifts." He stated harshly and I wanted badly to flinch, but stood my ground and refused to look away.

"If I am so dangerous, then why not kill me or lock me up so I don't hurt anyone?" I then pressed, and I could sense Fandral and Sif recoil slightly. Thor took in a breath, and placed his huge hand on my shoulder gently.

"Because Lady Lilliana," Odin said and walked toward me as I shrugged the hand off of me. "We do not know what repercussions would occur in the event of your death." I began to protest, but Odin continued cutting me off before I could speak. "Every person in this room is sworn to your protection on my orders, Loki will see to your tutelage so that you understand and can control your powers…."

"Father….Loki?" Are you sure of this?" Thor asked then obviously concerned. "Remember his crimes?"

"He understands the philosophy of magic and powers like hers, he is the only choice available at the moment. And despite my own reservations on this matter, he is the wisest choice thanks to the demonstration he gave this very hour." Loki looked on, slightly smug at Thor, but the final protest from Thor opened my mouth in shock.

Father, Remember New York? The city in Midguard? He could use her in that manner and cause calamity to the Nine Realms again."

"That was you? You brought all those Aliens to Earth? You killed all those people?" I asked glaring at him in anger and his eyes looked down at the floor but he said nothing, he then sighed and looked back at me.

"Dick move man," I said then. "Seriously dick move and that is not a damn compliment. You are a fucking jerk!" Odin then looked at Thor, and Fandral struggled to hide a laugh at my reprimand, Sif merely smiled and shook her head as she took in a deep breath to hide her own amusement.

"I believe that we can agree that she has a very strong will, and my choice for her tutelage was good." Odin said calmly, and smiled gently at me. "Lady, I only ask that you not be vulgar in my presence again." He said and I nodded to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the darkness it stirred, so many millennia in hibernation and waiting.

Stretching tendrils around the dark nothing, it began forming a body, the Illendrial has been born and it is female.

Earth….Asgard.

Finding her in the vastness of the cosmos, The Presence found her still weak and her full potential not yet reached.

"Soon." Its consciousness whispered into the dark.

Black eyes formed, lifeless and barren of remorse, fingers, a mouth.

"When she is ready, I will devour her and claim her power." Its nervous system began to take shape as it saw only one thing… a pair of violet eyes.

The Presence had waited so long, millions of years, and it was time.

Soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki turned the girl's reaction to finding what she was over in his mind, and was impressed by her cleverness at being able to take his instruction to take control over her powers. He brushed an imaginary fleck of dirt from his green tunic and watched her casually, she was rather attractive but he recognized that beauty and kindness was very fragile armor. She looked somewhat lost behind those violet pools and he could tell that she was going to be easier than he thought to manipulate. She my put up some challenge, but in the end she would eventually give in.

"She took it well." Thor said to him, "But I warn you…."

"Yes, yes." Loki cut Thor off, bored by threats. "If I try to betray anyone by using her, you will kill me."

Thor left him standing alone as he watched and Thor offered his hand to Lilliana. Loki felt irritation at the gesture, but managed not to show it openly. He stepped forward and then clapped his hands together once.

"Perhaps the Little Mouse would like to see her new home sooner rather than later?" Loki said and smiled, trying to use one of his more well known gifts to sway the girl, blinking in confusion at her expression. Anger flashed across her face, and she glared at him defiantly. Her eyes flashed and she walked forward shoving her finger into his face and glaring directly into his eyes.

"My name is Lilliana," She raged at him. "Call me that, or even Lilly, but stop calling me Little Mouse!"

She glared at him and in the back of his head he smiled, he could not manipulate her but he did enjoy irritating her.

"Very well….Lilliana." He replied coolly, deciding that he had pushed her far enough.

She spun on her heel away from him and Sif caught her arm, he could smell Lavender coming from her and a memory of Frigga surfaced nearly taking the wind from him. He pushed the memory away quickly before someone saw the sadness in his eyes, but he noticed Lilliana watching him as Sif spoke. She had seen it, and he arched an eyebrow at her coldly, trying to hide what had happened.

"He is going to keep calling you that now that he knows you hate it." He overheard Sif telling her, "Just let it not bother you."

Fandral approached her from behind and put a hand on he shoulder, offering his other hand, and taking hers gently.

"Perhaps, I can sing you songs of Asgard to cheer you as we ride Lady." And he smiled at her gently, and Sif rolled her eyes again.

"Maybe another time Fandral." Sif replied smiling and Fandral bowed politely to Lilliana. She sat back against a window ledge and put her hands down on her knees.

"Do we have to go? I feel weird enough, and I really feel like a Frankenstein right now." She said and Thor looked at her confused.

"Frankenstein?" Fandral asked and she rolled her eyes.

"A monster, tall, green skin, bolts in the neck. Made in a Science Lab out of spare parts." She explained and Loki frowned at her words, he knew that feeling well.

"It will be good for you to ride with us, don't hide away." Sif urged her and she looked at the rest of them and sighed. Giving in to the people around her.

"All right, but there is one problem though, how do you ride a horse?" Lilliana asked and everyone laughed making her jump a bit as she looked at the group.

"We will show you." Sif said leading her to the gates. "We will let you ride Artemis, she is a gentle pony."

Loki sighed and followed, using his abilities to give himself a riding cloak and a pair of gloves. He noticed a small detail of her then, the small bit of sadness carried in her smile, and he wondered silently if it was the knowledge of what she was that put it there or if it was the weight of her past.

Why would she see herself as a monster?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

If you are expecting me to say that I fell off the damn horse, forget it.

I actually did well for myself and even impressed the four of them in the process of learning. I was not so sure about Loki, but he was hard to read. I did need a boost up into the pretty golden brown horse named Artemis, Sif guided my feet in to the stirrups and I shook a bit nervously as I looked around myself. Thor carefully braced me with a hand behind my back and gave me the basic movements and commands to properly control the horse.

After a couple of practice laps around the courtyard with Thor and Fandral nearby to catch me in case I fell, everyone mounted their own rides and we left through the gates at a moderate pace. I looked at one of the guards and he gave me a nod and smile of approval and I returned the smile, maybe it was not so bad over all.

"You are doing well," Fandral said as he rode up next to me on my right and Sif fell in on my left. Thor rode taking the lead and I was going to thank him when he continued his statement with a flirt.

"You are like a true Queen on your mount."

He winked and I couldn't hide the smile that erupted that time and I sighed, laughing I shook my head and gave him a sidelong look.

"Fandral," I said, sighing, "Give up, you are nice but I would rather have you as a friend."

Behind us Loki gave an amused snort and Fandral smiled in his charming way, showing every tooth in his mouth and twitching his mustache at me. Sif nearly fell off her horse laughing, her head back and dark hair shining in the sun.

"Then friendship it shall be," Fandral replied in a way that made me think he was not ready at all to give up his flirting. I leaned over to talk to his horse and I said:

"If he flirts with me again, make sure he falls on his head."

The horse grunted as if he understood me and Sif laughed even harder at the scene, I sat back and looked around me still feeling like I was an impostor in this strange land.

"Looks like you have finally met a beautiful woman immune to your charms Fandral." Thor teased over his shoulder with obvious amusement in his voice. Fandral rode ahead and took up position next to Thor as the cool late morning breeze blew past us as we entered the city proper. They talked with each other and Thor laughed and shook his head, he glanced back at me and nodded at me.

"He is right," Sif said and I looked over at her. "You do smell pleasantly, I have a warrior's sense and you smell like flowers or a garden in full bloom."

I blushed never realizing that I did smell like perfume, and felt a bit freakish thanks to the meeting earlier coupled with this new revelation but I internally assumed it was better than smelling like old socks. I pulled the collar of my coat up and smelled it, but only smelled clean fabric and the soap I used earlier.

"I guess that is a good thing," I replied and looked at the stone gate ahead, people milled about it and two guards held post at it as we passed under it. They saluted Thor, who gave them a wave in respect and both men stared openly at me as we went by.

We rode through a Market, and it was filled with sights and smells too wondrous to imagine. One shop displayed spider web fine fabrics that shimmered in the light brilliantly, they turned in the breeze and waved in a riot of colors that dazzled my senses. Another sold spices exotic and the smell of them made me think of a market in Morocco, and I looked at the overflowing baskets of fruits and felt a pang of homesickness remembering Pike Place Market near the waterfront in Seattle. One shop had a window filled with crystal trinkets and cups that sparkled prettily in the sun, their shine causing me to blink my eyes to keep from blinding myself as we passed. I heard the rhythmic clang of a blacksmith hammering at a metal, forging and tempering steel into something useful and I ducked low on the horse to see through the open door of his workshop as we passed.

People looked at us as well, all eyes falling onto Thor first which made sense to me, but they soon followed back to me and people pointed and whispered to each other as they saw me and I looked down at my hands. I tried to will them to look at someone else, and wondered if I would ever get used to people staring at me in a way that said I was a pretty thing and admired. One older woman with gray streaks in her brown hair ran up to our group and insisted on handing us apples as we passed by, I took one from her hands and smiled politely passing it to Sif as she handed me another holding my hand in hers and reaching up to brush her fingers across my face.

"Thank you." I said to the smiling woman, and her soft smile widened in to a full grin briefly as she walked with the horse I was on.

As we left the market for a worn dirt road, Sif took a bite of her apple and chewed thoughtfully. Her entire countenance relaxed and at home on her horse, and I made a conscious effort to relax my own body to look more like her. Behind me, I could feel Loki's eyes boring into my back and debated throwing the apple over my shoulder at him, instead I chose to ignore him. I did not want to know him, and he was definitely creepy as hell, all quiet and shit.

"What do you think if Asgard so far?' Sif asked me taking another bite of her fruit as I bit into my own apple.

"Honest opinion?" I replied to her question and turned over my response in my head.

"Of course Lilliana, I want to know what you think." I chewed and swallowed the bite in my mouth and took in a deep breath, thinking how to word what I was thinking without being offensive. It did not pay to have someone here angry with me.

"I think it is a gilded cage." I said and looked down the apple in my hand, trying to remain casual. "I have read fantasy stories back home and wished to see places like this, but I can't shake the feeling I am here for more than my protection. Plus one person in particular creeps me out like crazy."

Sif took another bite of her apple and thought about my words quietly, and I finished my apple next to her wishing I had just lied and told her I loved being there.

"I did ask your opinion, but I hope you change it." She said. tossing the core into the bushes and took mine and threw it aside as well.

"Still cool with me?" I asked her and she smiled warmly.

"Do you mean to ask if I still like you?'

"Yeah." I said looking down as the reins in my hands, feeling bad still.

"I do," She patted my shoulder. "You are honest with your thoughts and speak your mind openly, a rare trait for people here, everyone is so afraid to say what they think for the fear of offending the Allfather. And your scolding Loki earlier was amusing."

I grinned a bit and looked over at her.

"This is the strangest Birthday I have ever had. Strange in a good way though." I said patiently and laughed to myself.

"Birthday?" She asked me and I laughed as she looked at me.

"We celebrate the day you are born on Earth, we call it a Birthday. I guess you don't have that here." I replied and she smiled and looked at me.

"No, we live so long, It is hard to mark the passing of time properly. After a while. We stop thinking of our live in years, but in deeds." She replied and I nodded at her as we rode on down the path, the sun dancing through the trees.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki was impressed with Lilliana as he quietly listened to her conversation with Sif, she was more clever than he had previously given her credit for. Her comment about Asgard being a gilded cage proved most astute, and he was somewhat happy for someone else seeing it as such. His gloved hand fidgeted with the reins as he listened more carefully to their conversation as they rode on. Trying to catch any clues to unraveling the carefully guarded girl. He saw the way he marveled at the pretty little trinkets in the market and found it strangely childlike, innocent in her curiosity and strangely endearing.

As the women continued talking he found himself wondering more about this book she was talking with Sif about.

"So in this book, this fiction," Sif continued, how does this man survive on a planet with no food or water?"

"He uses his skills as a scientist to make water using chemistry and the basic chemical reactions he knows of and he grows food in the soil by introducing bacteria to the dead soil of the planet." Lilliana replied.

"He is a Botonist….. a person who studies plants and their chemistry."

"Interesting, and the people from his home, do they know of his plight?"

"Yes and no." She replied thinking deeply of how to explain her answer and bit her lower lip thinking. "They figure out he is still alive on accident, and he figures out how to communicate with the people on Earth."

"Clever, does he survive his ordeal?" Sif laughed and Lilliana then leaned into her close.

"You can borrow the book if you want; I've read it at least a dozen times. And I have three other books with me."

"No," Sif said. "I believe I will irritate you with my constant requests for explanations on Midguardian technology."

"It's O.K." Lilliana smiled and it faded as she thought a secret thought, she looked down at her hands. Loki cleared his throat making them both look back at him, and the girl rolled her eyes as they both turned.

"Something got your attention? Timmy fall down a well, pirates, or raiders?" Lilliana asked with annoyance and Loki frowned at her and she turned back around in her saddle, he frowned and glared at the back of her head.

"No, I was thinking perhaps I should read this book." He said and brought his horse up to her right. "It does sound fascinating."

She looked up at him nervously, and then her brows knitted in a look of irritation as he felt a bit shocked that she would be so defiant toward him. Lilliana sighed and rolled her eyes and made an effort to ignore him, he did not back down, and eventuality she looked at him.

"You don't even like people from Earth, what would you care about a stupid book? Jeez, and if being creepy were an Olympic Sport, you would definitely have to be tested for performance enhancing drugs. Seriously, you got this whole Dracula meets the Devil kind of vibe nailed." She said and Thor turned in his saddle as Sif hid a laugh behind her hand.

"Challenge me again Little Mouse," He warned her angrily. "And…."

"And what?" Lilliana spit at him, cutting him off rudely. Fandral turned on his horse to look back at them, Loki raised an eyebrow at her. He sat back in his saddle watching her as her brows knitted in more anger and she glared back at him.

"Until your stupidity in New York, we were happy to think we were alone in the universe. Yeah, maybe a few people claimed to be abducted and experimented on, but that stupid ass stunt really made us afraid as a planet. Did you ever think were happy? That everything was great? I'm one of those people who had their eyes forced wide open that day and I want so bad to have my ignorance back. So when you figure out how to give me that, then you can threaten me. Until then, you show me how to control the freak show I currently am, and stop trying to buddy up to me. I am not here to be your friend, nor do I want to be." Deafening silence fell on the group as she spoke, scolding him and treating him like an impetuous child, and he swallowed heavily and glared at her angrily.

"There it is again, trying to look all creepy, totally failing at it too. You think you can bully everyone by being tall and arrogant, whatever. Go cry Emo kid and leave me alone, I got cooler people to chill with." She said and sighed as he allowed his horse to fall back behind the group.

Sighing heavily, he watched the fight leave her and Sif put her hand on her shoulder gently.

"I don't know why I am cursed." Lilliana said and Sif leaned in gently, a quiet calm returned to the group as everyone settled back into their saddles. A butterfly landed on the comb in her hair and fluttered away. He reflected on what she had said to him, and wanted to have the girl flogged for her insolence toward him. There was something about her though, the way her voice trembled when he looked at her, she had a look in her eyes after she spat her insults at him, not defiance, nor any fearful anticipation of a punishment.

"You are not cursed Lilly, you are honest, and that alone is a virtue." Sif said and smiled at her.

"When you know who you are; and when your mission is clear and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will; no cold can touch your heart; no deluge can dampen your purpose. You know then you are alive." Lillana said and Thor and Fandral turned in their saddles again to look at her incredulously.

"Are these the words of a wise warrior from Midguard?" Thor asked her and she laughed patiently.

"Chief Seattle, he may have been a warrior at one time, but her became a man who sought peace the older he grew." she said, and Thor nodded appreciatively at her.

"Sounds like a wise and brave man Lady. Tell me more." Thor said and she sighed.

"He was a Native Tribal Leader, and the city you found me in was named for him. I read all of his essays and that just popped into my head, I have a strange sense of recall at times" She said and Fandral raised his eyebrows. The words she had spoken however, echoed in Loki's mind as they rode into the North Woods and he studied her body language from behind.

"You have given us much to think on." He said and she turned to look at him, she was about to say something, but thought better of it and turned back around riding on in silence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We rode until midday and we found a nice glade in the woods near a river for the horses. They drank from the river and grazed from the tall grass as we ate a picnic lunch made up of whatever Fandral managed to steal from the kitchens. I sat on a flat stone that Thor had carried over for me, obviously showing off how strong he was and listened to Fnadral's story, laughing despite myself. He felt the need to insist he charmed the maids into giving him the food, and they gave him the items as he told his story, but he basically stole everything. The dark bruise on the back of his hand betrayed him, but we all humored him as he elaborated as the truth came out.

"And one of the women, a rather large lady of merit with strong arms from kneading bread, began throwing potatoes at me. I nearly lost my life as a soup pot was flung by a waif of a woman as well; I am quite shocked she could throw that strongly." We all laughed at his story and he stood up and walked over to his horse, from his saddle bag he produced a cloth wrapped bundle and handed it to me. Loki chose to sit on a low tree branch, away from the group and that was fine by me.

"All the peril was worth it however, to steal this for our most honored guest." I opened the cloth to find a little glazed cake inside it, and he smiled brightly. "A honey cake for you, best served with a drizzling of cream but still good dry."

I blushed and re wrapped the little cake setting it aside and Sif shot him a look that told him non-verbally to behave himself. He sat back down on the grass, and smiled at me and I giggled softly at the gesture.

"Thank you Fandral. But don't risk your life against soup pots or women with potatoes to steal me any more food, I have a feeling they will try to over feed me here anyways." I said and popped a grape into my mouth.

"Do you have any stories of Midguard lady?" Fandral asked me and I sat back feeling all eyes on me as they waited patiently to hear something come from me. How do you explain being a Drug Mule for an asshole who will beat you or let one of his goons rape you if you try to quit or get arrested? I shook my head and picked at a piece of bread in my hands and sighed, looking at the river and thinking more as my eyes studied the rocks and the shore on the other side.

"Nothing that exciting." I said, glancing down and looked up to notice a path traveling into the woods across the river. I touched Sif's arm to get her attention as I chewed a bite of bread and pointed at it.

"There is a path over there, between the bushes." Sif squinted over at it and her eyes widened some when she saw it herself.

"There is," She said and Fandral and Thor turned to see the path for themselves and they eyed it cautiously. Loki made a noise of interest behind us, as he stood up and walked to the rivers edge and looked across at the path.

"Perhaps the Little Mouse has found something interesting after all." Loki said over his shoulder to us from the river and I resisted the urge to walk up to him and slug him for his teasing.

"We could see where it goes." Sif said and Thor looked at it cautiously and began forming a plan quietly how to cross the river. Thinking to himself as he stood by.

"How would we get over there to begin with?' Thor asked standing and walking to the shore and the rest of us followed suit and stood there following him. I picked up a dry stick and tested the depth as Loki watched me with some interest as I worked.

"We could walk for hours and not find a way to cross it" Thor added and I began debating if I could wade across it if I needed to, it looked like it would get up to my waist, but I did not know how comfortable it would be to wear wet leather pants..

"Perhaps we could roll a log into it and use that as a bridge?" Fandral suggested as I found our crossing. I grabbed Sif's hand and quietly pulled her over as the two men continued to try to form a plan and Loki followed us as he rolled his eyes at Thor and Fandral, who obviously did not notice us.

I showed them both where some rocks broke the surface and they both looked at me, as they created a perfect path of stepping stones across the river. I carefully stepped across using the first four, and turned and pointed out a path.

"It is not too deep here, maybe two to four feet at most," I said and they both nodded at me. "We could still use the rocks though and stay dry."

I then carefully moved from one rock to the other until I was halfway across the river and I noticed that Fandral and Thor were still locked in their planning of how to cross when I picked up a smaller rock out of the water and threw it so it splashed in front of them, breaking their concentration and causing them to look up for the source of the stone that disturbed them.

"Are you two coming or what?" I shouted and they both saw me standing on my rock as Loki began selecting his path across, Sif kept moving around me completing her crossing. I have to admit, for a tall guy Loki was graceful, I nearly slipped as he came up behind me and he caught my arm to stop me from going over into the water.

"Thanks." I said, but still yanked my arm back from him defensively as I turned to cross.

"Or," Fandral said clapping Thor on the shoulder, and pointing to us as we carefully balanced and hopped from one stone to another.

"We could use the stones in the river to cross if we are light of feet." And he ran over to begin his crossing.

Loki nearly slipped on the same stone I had but caught his balance as Fandral started across the river. Thor waited patiently until Fandral gained some distance and began crossing himself, soon we were all across and standing at the mouth of the path and I stepped forward to start, but Thor held me back.

"We do not know yet what is down there." He said warning me gently, "Let me take the lead followed by Fandral, Lady Sif will walk ahead of you, and Loki shall take the rear and warn of us of danger from behind."

"Exactly what threat do you expect Thor." Loki sighed and I couldn't help myself and I gave a little giggle in agreement, he was being overly cautious for no reason.

"We know not where we go brother, and any threat is possible, thieves may use this path." He said glaring at Loki, and I put a hand over my mouth to hold in another giggle and the two men continued to glare at one another.

"I swear to God you two have to be siblings," I sighed regaining my composure. "You two would argue over whether or not water was wet. Are we going or what?"

The group looked down at me and Fandral smiled in his gifted way that put everyone at ease. I put my hands on my hips and stared at Thor as he looked down at me bemused.

"She has a point." Fandral said and Thor began leading us ahead quietly.

"Look out everyone. Big spooky path of doom." I said and Loki snorted behind me and I could see Sif holding in a laugh from the way her shoulders bunched.

"So 'Blair Witch Project'." I added, and everyone stopped progressing and looked at me for clarification.

"Blair Witch Project?" Fandral asked and I threw out my hands and rolled my eyes.

"You guys really need Netflix here, because most of my jokes are going to fly right over your heads." I sighed and rolled my eyes again in exasperation.

"Netflix?" Thor asked then and I put my hands on my hips as Loki laughed behind me.

"Never mind, let's just keep going." I said and motioned for them to keep walking and the group moved on.

At Sif's prompts, I gave a synopsis of the Blair Witch Project, and Fandral glanced back looking disturbed by the story.

"This is meant to entertain?" He asked as I finished the story and I clapped my hands to describe the blow that killed one of the characters, causing her to jump.

"Yeah, but movies like that are not for everyone." I answered and he nodded his agreement still looking a bit horrified. There was tall grass higher than my head and heavy brush on either side of the path that created a wall on either side of us when Thor stopped short, and Sif and Fandral formed a wall behind him that preventing me from seeing what they were looking at. I jumped up and nearly slipped on some loose dirt, Loki put his hands on my shoulders before I hit the dirt and I repressed a grimace. I caught a glimpse of what they were looking at, seeing a clearing and some old growth trees, but couldn't see much more.

"What is that?" Sif asked Thor and Fandral in a hushed voice and I tried jumping up again to see, quickly becoming frustrated. Loki, who stood at my back, craned his neck to see what everyone was looking at and I got an idea and looked at him as he regarded me.

"Crouch down." I said to him and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I sighed.

"Why?" He asked, resisting my request.

"I need to be taller, so just crouch down." He bent his knees slightly and I put my arms around his neck and he got the immediate idea of me being lifted piggy back style, he knelt down on one knee and I could feel his annoyance as he stood.

"I am grateful you are small and light." He said and hitched me up higher onto his back by putting his hands behind my knees so my arms hung loosely around his neck, preventing me from choking him.

"Just go forward and shut up. Also, touch my butt, and I will strangle you." I said and motioned him forward. He sighed and walked to join the group, and I could see everything now. Over their shoulders I could see stone ruins, long forgotten and left to nature. It looked like an old temple of some kind and I made a noise of interest, Thor turned his head and was surprised to see me eye to eye and on Loki's back.

"Her idea." He said, and studied the scene carefully over Sif's shoulder. Everyone turned to see what Thor was looking at, and I rolled my eyes as Loki groaned. I pinched his shoulder and he turned his head to glare at me over his shoulder, I hitched myself up a bit higher and looked at the clearing and used his shoulders as leverage.

"I improvised." I said as Thor looked at Loki and grinned as the sight, repressing laughter as he walked forward.

"If I was part tree, I wouldn't have to climb this jerk, and all of you were in the way." I said to Thor, becoming annoyed as Sif turned her head and looked amused.

"This will probably be the only time Loki has a girl riding his back." Fandral joked, and we all ignored it.

We all studied the fallen columns and crumbling archways around the central domed structure as the light shifted slightly through the trees, a curtain of vines blew aside showing a doorway behind a statue that lay on its side, its features eroded and distorted by time. I stretched further and Loki made a sound of protest and I settled back into position, noticing a slightly Celtic notwork pattern that graced some of the columns and on the archway around the door.

"Shall we explore it?' Fandral asked suddenly, and we all jumped in unison and the rest of the group seemed to think on whether or not to go in and see what we found.

"Let me down," I said to Loki and he held me up as I squirmed trying to get off his back. "I want to go in and see what it is."

"I am still not entirely convinced that is a wise course of action." Loki said to me over his shoulder and hitched me up higher to not strain his back.

"I am inclined to agree with Loki." Sif chimed in and I sighed heavily from my perch, and draped my arms over his shoulders.

"No one is here," I said and smacked Thor's shoulder. "Thor is here too, what can go wrong with just looking around for a few minutes?"

Fandral came around behind me and helped me off Loki's back and took my hand and cleared his throat, I was starting to feel like a novelty again until Fandral made his argument in my favor.

"The Lady discovered the path, and we did walk all this way, perhaps we should indulge her and see what treasures await us."

"The Allfather may be interested in hearing of this discovery." Thor mused, rubbing his chin, and scratching his close cropped beard. "We do have light still, I see no harm. Should anything be amiss, we can offer protection."

"Yes!" I said and jumped a bit as Fandral held my hand fast, and I resisted teasing the Nay Sayers in our group and allowed him to tuck my hand into his elbow and he drew his sword.

"Lady, may I escort you on this expedition of discovery?"

"You may," I said and we both walked ahead. "Hurry up guys, before Fandral and I discover all the really cool stuff first!"

Fandral guided me around the fallen statue and insisted on checking in the structure first before I entered, his head reappeared a few moments later.

"You must see what is in here." He said excitedly and used his sword to hack the vines out of the way as Sif ran up to see what he had seen. Fandral gave me his hand and helped me up onto the mossy statue that lay across the doorway, lifting me and planting me on the other side, he then helped Sif over and into the domed structure.

"Whoa." I said as I looked up at the opening in the center of the dome to allow the sunlight in, my eyes trailing down and along the walls. Between each inner column holding the roof about thirty feet above us was a statue of a man or woman holding a sword, vines and various flowers climbed the walls and across their features obscuring them. We turned in the center of the room, and were openly amazed by each of the statues, and Thor stood in awe of them quietly.

"What was this place?" Sif asked, and she and I looked up at a large stone throne that sat between two pillars. I walked up to it and sat in the throne crushing some ivy and moved some of it aside to sit without dirtying my clothes, when I noticed something carved in the front of it below the seat of the throne. I moved more of the vines to see the words and was forced to squint.

"I need some light." I said and motioned for Loki to come forward. "There is something carved here, and I can't see it in this light."

Loki leaned forward with a green flame in his hand and we found a carved figure with a crown over it, and below were carved two words, Loki brushed the dirt away with his gloved hand and I made out the words clearly:

VENI, CORONABERIS

"Come, you shall be crowned." We both said at the same time, and he looked at me in awe for a second, catching himself and relaxing his face back to his normal stoic features.

"It's Latin," I said. "I went to a Catholic School, we had to learn it because we had to read some stuff in the original language. I never thought it would come in handy though."

Suddenly behind us, a stone fell startling us, and we turned to see Thor shrug apologetically at us, and I looked up to groan and I saw another carving behind the throne on the wall.

It was set back in an alcove behind the throne, and I had to carefully pick my way through some foliage that was trying to reclaim the floor of the structure. I grabbed Loki's wrist and drug him behind the throne needing the light he made. I carefully moved some of the flowers that were blooming around it, and found a carved woman and I traced her face and ran my hands lower on the carved legend and saw the words:

HAEC FORIBUSQUE MANET TEMPESTAS PER PATENTIAM EXPECTAMUS

"Patiently, she waits through the storm." I read out loud and Loki gave me a look that said he was actually impressed, I just shrugged and rolled my eyes trying not to look to high and mighty. This guy was creepy, but at least he was not one hundred percent asshole.

"The Little Mouse has me impressed." He said and I ignored him to study the carving again and then allowed the overgrowth to fall back over it, I then turned back and walked to the center of the room thinking to myself as Loki extinguished the flame in his hand and I turned back to him.

"This is like a Stillaguamish Tribal Longhouse, and stop calling me that you arrogant prick." I said and he looked at me in interest laced with mild annoyance. "They built theirs of straw and bark, but the basic idea is the same. The central vent for fresh air and allow smoke from the fire pit to escape as they cooked. See the remains of soot up around the center hole?" He looked up and then back at me, and eyebrow raised as he saw what I did.

"I do, very observant," he said and I pushed the dirt floor around with the toe of my boot. Loki began moving foliage around to see if there were any more carvings, and I proved my theory by uncovering a bit of darker carbonized ash in the dirt.

"This was important," I said continuing my train of thought. "Maybe a Tribal Elder or Chief lived here, the lack of other structures tells me they were either pulled apart for building materials, or were made with less permanent building materials like wood or grass. But this building had to be permanent, maybe a meeting house or palace" I looked around the room and everyone was staring at me again making me feel freakish, but the looks on their faces also told me they were interested.

"The Stillaguamish Tribal Center on Earth talked about how the more settled and Agricultural Based tribes of North America tended to have more permanent structures like this, even the Vikings built similar structures after humanity left the age of being Hunter Gatherers, and we had more time to build on our knowledge. Forging tools, weapons, and telling stories, and the Bronze Age came along and changed everything, Oral Histories were shared in houses like this." Loki stared at me and raised an eyebrow, and he turned again as I gave him a look that told him I was tired of being the freak show.

"How do you know all of this Lady?" Thor asked me patiently, and I turned to face him briefly.

"Books. Knowledge is a better weapon than punching stuff Thor." I said and smiled at him in a knowing way and I heard Loki laugh behind me.

I circled the room again and then did a This quick measure of the ceiling from the floor, and slowly began digging near the throne.

"Damascus Steel." I said and Thor made a sound to question me, I turned and sat back down on the throne as Loki and Fandral looked at me to see what I was going to say next.

"Damascus Steel is a type of forging that was developed during the third century and was in practice until the seventeenth century in what is modern day India on Earth. The steel was marked with swirls and whorls, but was some of the strongest and most beautiful weapons forged. The technology was known to so few, that we lost the ability to create weapons in that manner when the smiths died, and even with modern technology, we still cannot figure out how they made it. Knowledge in the hands of few dies eventually and becomes forgotten, that in itself is the true tragedy of time." I said and Loki stared at me again, nodding in agreement to my statement. He motioned me over pointing at another carving for me to see, I stood up and walked over to him and crouched down to see what he was pointing at.

"You are a fount of reason and knowledge, yet fierce in combat." Sif said then, and I looked at her and smiled as I looked up at her as she stood over us.

"Having a brilliant mind is one thing, knowing how to use it is a lost art." Loki said and moved some grass aside for me to see the carving, but the words were too eroded for me to make it out.

"Sorry, too far gone, and fuck you." I said to Loki and turned to Thor.

"Do you think Odin will know for sure what this place once was?" I asked Thor as he pushed some debris about with his foot, I walked over to a pile of old pottery and knelt down to carefully uncover the delicate antiques, I glanced over at Loki who was looking at a pile of relics himself and quickly looked away when he noticed me.

"That I cannot say," He said to me, and Fandral walked up behind me as I uncovered a piece of pottery causing me to yelp and nearly dropped it. "Can you remember the inscriptions you found in the stone?"

I elbowed Fandral in the ribs and gave him a look that backed him off and looked at Thor as I looked at the clay pot, and studied the swirls and ridges in the glaze.

"If I can read it, I can remember it." I said, carefully setting the pottery back down as I found it, and rolled my eyes. "I have an eidetic memory."

Everyone looked at me for clarification except Loki, and I sighed heavily.

"She remembers everything." Loki said looking at a few items piled up along the walls, and began studying a bronze goblet, turning it in his gloved hands carefully.

"She is far cleverer than we all previously thought." He picked up a small item and turned it over in his hands, removing his gloves and tucking them into his belt, he gestured for me to come over to him as he pulled a few threads from the edge of his riding cloak.

"A compliment from Loki," Sif said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "Mark this day."

I walked over to him and he had just finished threading the few threads of silk he had pulled out of his cloak through the bail of a carved stone pendant. He passed them over my head and dropped the necklace against my chest and raised one finger to his lips.

I looked at the carved soapstone and found it to be a simple oval with a flower carved in it, and I smiled back at him then. He looked at me and sat back to look trough the pile of items again.

"Your discovery," He said low, "You keep something of it."

I nodded and studied him for a moment, looking for motive, but he kept his face bland. I sat down on a dirt rise near him and Fandral looked at me as I looked around, I studied the faces of everyone and sighed openly as I thought.

"Why do you think the other buildings may have been used as building materials?" Fandral asked and I smiled while shaking my head.

"I can't tell for sure, but it could have happened that way. Many of the Roman aqueducts were used that way after the fall of the Empire and we entered the Dark Ages, even the stone roads were pulled up to build shelters by the people out of desperation. But it is more likely that they were primitive structures made of straw and other less permanent building materials." I tucked the pendant into my jacket and let it slip into the tunic I wore under it to hide it.

"History is littered with the skeletons of Fallen Empires, all it takes is someone to exhume the corpses and listen to the ghosts before the voices are lost completely." I said and looked around the base of another statue and found nothing and looked over at Loki as he stood up and put his gloves back on, walking back to the center of the room.

"Very astute girl, but still a long way off from understanding this place. All you have are theories and speculation as to what happened here. Perhaps The Archives will have…" Loki began, but a shrieking sound that raised the hairs on the back of my neck and sent a chill rocketing down my spine startled him into silence. It sounded like a rabid Velociraptor courtesy Jurassic Park, and I slapped and hand over my mouth to keep myself from screaming when it called out again, and my heart decided to do a few back flips off my rib cage.

"Bilgesnipe!" Fandral said pulling his sword, and Thor looked over at him and nodded, I looked at the men and did my best not to scream as the roar bounced off the walls of the building again.

"What is a Bilgesnipe?" I asked removing my hands from my mouth and everyone looked at me.

"We will explain later," Thor said "But for now, we need to run back to the horses and hopefully avoid a confrontation with the beast." I nodded and began following them out of the building and Loki steadied me when the shrieking cry came through the woods causing me to jump and nearly fall backwards over the fallen statue.

We ran along the path quickly and quietly, Loki behind me tripped over a root I had stepped over and I turned to help him up but he had already regained his feet and kept going pushing me along the path quickly and quietly. The Shriek came from closer again, and we all stopped and waited to see where it was coming from and how close it was. I slapped my hands over my mouth when the shriek came again, and nearly started crying in fear as I shook and we heard the call from the path behind us along with the sound of something running heavily toward us and gaining fast. We all turned and began running as fast as we could, Fandral pushed me in front of him and Loki stayed right on my tail.

"Brother! Get her back to the horses, the three of us will hold the beast back and find you both." Thor shouted but the Bilgesnipe was right behind us.

Loki grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the brush at the side of the path as a leathery creature about the size of an Elephant, with a ridge of horns and two that crossed in front of its face like mammoth tusks burst from the trees. It uprooted a medium sized tree in a show of force and Loki lay on top of me and covered the top my head as the tree was thrown over us and exploded against other trees showering us with splinters.

"Get up and run girl." Loki said and rolled off of me. He lifted me up and urged me to run toward the horses, and the creature began chasing us and I nearly screamed when it knocked another tree out of its way, and I lost Loki when he fell to the side to dodge its tusks.

"Keep making for the horses!" Thor screamed off to my right grabbing its attention. "We will catch up to you there."

I dove through the brush trying to find the path again, and listened for the river hoping I could find at least one landmark I knew, but was unable to get my bearings. I stopped and wrapped my arms around a thick tree and took a moment to catch my breath, and I leaned against it feeling the bark against my cheek. Sweat was in my eyes blinding me, and I had just calmed my breathing when I heard a sound on the other side of the tree and peeked around it shaking and nearly screamed when I saw the Bilgesnipe sniffing around. It was looking for me, and had followed my scent.

It stomped through the bushes on cat like paws, and sniffed around and I forced a scream back down my throat as it drew closer to my hiding place, I thought about climbing the tree, but none of the branches were low enough for me to grab. I turned and flattened my back against the trunk and looked around me desperately for any way to hide or escape, and I saw a crack in a rock wall about fifty yards form me. It was not big enough for Thor, and even Sif would have a hard time squeezing through it, but I could fit if I hit it just right.

I could squeeze into the small cave and wait it out if it was dumb animal, and I hoped it was, so I turned around and faced the tree and waited for my chance to make a break for the crack. I watched it as it drew nearer, and was getting ready to run when I heard someone call out my name in the distance, and it looked in the direction of the voice and growled low in its throat. It was the best chance I would get, so I ran and I didn't mean to stop until I was relatively safe in the rocks. If worst came to worse, I planned to try and climb up on them and get higher than the beast.

It saw me run and it gave chase, snarling on my heels as I bolted over a fallen tree and it snapped down crushing it like tinder in its jaws trying to catch me and missing me by inches. I ran faster and barely made the opening before the Bilgesnipe closed its jaws on the air where I once was. It crashed into the rocks and gave an angry shriek as I pressed my back against the small cave in the rocks, it looked in at me and I could feel its hot breath in front of me as it snapped at me and reached a clawed paw in to try and get me. It let out an angry shriek and I pressed my hands against my ears to protect them from the sound as it echoed off the walls of my tiny hiding place. I screamed and It dug at the cave entrance, trying to get me it head butted the cave walls and I felt hot tears begin to fall down my cheeks as I screamed again at the beast in fear and anger. I hoped against all hope that Thor or someone would hear my scream and find me here.

The beast rammed the cave opening again, and the rock behind me shifted, making my hiding place even shallower, and I dug my feet into the soil as it snaked a paw in and it came inches from my face. Its nails caked with the blood of its previous kill and I thought instantly of how Loki fell as we ran. The paw retreated and I sank down low and tried my best to catch my breath when I felt a claw snag the laces on my boot, and I was yanked angrily out of my hiding place like a rag doll. I screamed as I was flung through the air and my jacket got snagged on the walls and it tore before I came to rest on the grass outside the cave hearing a sickening pop in my arm as it broke from my trying to brace myself in the fall. My head struck a rock and my blood mixed with sweat, and I tried to push back in the grass to get back on my feet. I cradled my broken arm and cried in pain as I felt the bone shift and move back into its proper place. Panic laced my brain and I backed away from the monster trying to get away, it roared down at me and I screamed as it bore down on me with claws extended.

Then the fire came.

It was not like the fire in the Throne Room back in the castle before Odin, it was an inferno that erupted from me, and it washed over me, burning the Bilgesnipe as it tried to retreat. Flowing like water over the both of us, but not burning me as it wrapped tendrils over the legs of the beast, and up its face and body. I screamed as the beast burned, and arched my back as the arm that was broken healed instantly causing me to feel white hot agony, I screamed so loud something must have torn loose in my throat because no sound came but a rush of air.

The last thing I saw before I fell into blackness on the cool ground as the flames retreated was the beast burning and collapsing to the ground at the fire consumed it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki raced through the forest with Thor and Fandral, Sif returned to the horses to see if Lilliana had arrived as instructed before them. They lost the Bilgesnipe as it crashed off into the woods, and the three of them decided to check the woods in case she lost her way and got turned around. Late afternoon was upon them and he knew that Thor would refuse to leave until the girl was found. They heard howls from the beast followed by a scream of pure agony echoing off the trees, Loki pushed on ahead of them trying to outrun fate itself as he vaulted a fallen tree and urged himself forward through the brush.

"What?" Loki choked out as they came upon the scene and took in the burning remains of the Bilgesnipe, Lilliana lay on the ground on her back and was shaking, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he back arched skyward and then she became very still. Loki and Thor immediately ran to her and checked her limp form as Fandral stood and looked at the burning beast with his mouth open and put his hands on top of his head.

"Did she?" Fandral asked, and Thor shook her gently, looking for any signs of life in the girl and Loki stopped him then, placing his fingers close to her nose feeling a shallow, weak breath. He waited a few seconds more and felt another, he sighed and felt relief at feeling her life begin to return, but her skin was cold and her face remained lifeless and pale.

"She is alive." Loki confirmed and saw relief flood across Thor's worried face, and Fandral let out the breath he was holding. Thor stood, not letting go of her and cradling her head gently so her neck would not twist about. She looked so small and frail in the large man's arms, like a child lost and then found again. Loki took a cloth and wiped at the blood on her forehead and found no cut, the wound being healed but leaving the evidence.

"Thank the stars." Fandral said and put his hands on his knees. "Did she do that?"

"I believe she did, involuntarily though." Loki said looking at Fandral and Thor. "Little Mouse is drained from the release of power, she may remain unconscious for a while yet." He said as they began walking quickly through the woods toward the horses, wasting no time as they moved through the brush.

"We should get her to Eir." Fandral said and ran ahead to tell Sif she had been found. Loki folded her loose arm over her stomach to prevent it from flopping about and Thor sighed heavily, another burden on his mind.

"I blame myself for this brother." He said and worry tinged his voice. "I should not have sent her running by herself for the horses, I only meant to get her away from the beast."

"She is not dead, you can be thankful for that." He said and Sif came running with Fandral back through the forest toward them, panic creasing her usually calm face.

"I was still foolish, Father will demand answers." Thor said and he crossed the river soaking his boots and pants as he slogged forward with his arms clutching her closer. Loki chose to step across the stones again to cross the river, but he did not harass Thor for his choice as speed was their ally. Fandral and Sif crossed behind him staying relatively dry.

"Just tell him the truth," Sif said as Fandral took Lilliana away from Thor so he could mount his horse, and was about to pass her body back up to her when he hesitated briefly.

"She is cold as death." She said and Sif grabbed Loki's riding cloak and wrapped her in it carefully to keep her from flopping about limply and to keep her warm as Thor took her back to the castle.

"I will take her straight to Eir." Thor said pulling her close and positioning her head in the crook of his elbow jabbing his heels into the animal's flanks, spurring the horse forward and riding off in a trail of dust and disappeared around the bend in the road.

"We should ride," Fandral said. "We can help Thor if we soften the blow to Odin before he hears of her plight elsewhere." The three of them clambered onto their horses, and began riding back as fast as they could, Loki giving Artemis a slap to the rump and spurring her to gallop back to the stables with them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

In the darkness, The Presence heard screams. Screams of delightful terror that penetrated its very core, and it reveled in them. Coiling itself about in a mist that undulated and filled the inky blackness around itself.

Tasting fear so delightful, it stretched out its mind to caress the last remnants of the emotion with those mist like tendrils.

A sudden jolt caused the body The Presence created to blink black eyes and curl its pale legs up to its chest into a fetal position, muscles contracted, relaxed and the body rested again, becoming still.

Fear, and screams, how wonderful they tasted on his lips. Like overripe fruit waiting to be ripped from the vine.

Its consciousness invaded the body making itself at home in the fragile shell and it slept, dreaming of the time it would rip the soul from the girl and hear her screams fill his ears as he destroyed everything she cared about.

Soon, but for now, sleep and wait.

So very soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up slowly, and immediately mentally began taking stock of everything around me as my brain started kicking over.

I was nested in the bed back in the room they gave me, my head propped on the pillows, the blankets pulled up to my chin with my hands gently crossed over my stomach. I felt no pain despite remembering breaking my arm, andI remembered that I could heal quickly and tried not to groan. I wanted to roll to the side but my body refused to cooperate. No pain, but I did however feel a nagging hunger and thirst. I tried again to move, but nothing in my body would cooperate with me.

Slowly my hand began to come back to life, and I pushed the blankets down to see Thor and Fandral talking softly by the fireplace as Sif paced the floor worriedly. She waked and turned on her heel as she paced, glancing at everyone in the room, and chewing at her thumbnail. Loki was the only one who looked vaguely relaxed as he sat on the couch reading my copy of The Martian.

I took in a breath and licked my lips, my head swam at the small exertion and my tongue felt so dry and cracked I didn't think I could speak at all. Sif looked over at me and saw that my eyes were open and she stopped her pacing immediately and looked back at me.

"She's awake." Sif said and the other three in the large space looked up at me and Loki closed the book on his finger to hold his place.

I was wearing a clean, white silk shift with bloused cuffs and I hoped internally none of the men in the room saw me nude, but some part of me knew that Sif would have thrown them out into the hall.

She and I were tight like that.

A nagging thirst made my train of thought derail, leaving no survivors and Sif and Frandal came in close to my bed.

"She is still cold." Sif said as she sat on the bed and took my hand in hers as she gently brushed my hair out of my face.

"She will be until she is fully rested." Loki said and went back to the book, casually turning a page and crossing his feet at the ankles. I wanted to call him an asshole and yell at him to put the book down, but I wanted something more, and the expenditure of energy to take a cheap shot felt like it would be too much.

'Water." I managed to croak out with a dry voice, Fandral filled a cup and held my head as I drained it and looked at him for more. He returned to the pitcher and filled the cup again and gave me the cup, testing me to see if I had the strength to hold it by myself. My fingers cooperated and I held the cup and drank from it again, licking my lips and coughing a bit when some of the water went down the wrong pipe.

"What happened, and please tell me that Fandral did not change my clothes." I said as Sif adjusted a pillow behind my head so that I could sit up more, I took another drink from the cup. Loki snorted and looked up from my book looking amused.

"We took you to Eir." Thor said as he walked toward the bed, shooting Loki a glare as he passed him. I drank again, the desert in my mouth starting to turn back into a wetland.

"You could not be woken and it was the only action at the moment that seemed wisest." Thor added and I sank back into the pillow as my head swam. I felt bad about what I saw on his face, he was beating himself up for me getting hurt, and in the end I owned half the mistake.

"Did you tell Odin about the ruins we found?" I asked them, trying to change the subject and everyone except Loki looked at me with various looks of kids who got scolded by an adult.

"He was angry on hearing of your injury." Fandral said and the look on my face must have said it all because Sif gave my hand a squeeze as my heart sank into my knees.

"Someone should tell the Allfather of her improved condition." Sif said and all eyes went to Fandral who silently protested, fear crossing his face.

"You are the only one he did not verbally beaten and called an imbecile." Loki said helpfully and continued reading the book, turning the page casually and glancing up briefly.

"Point taken," Fandral said and took the now empty cup from my hand when there was a loud knock on the door. Thor opened it, and stiffened. Loki looked over and closed the book on his finger, standing up quickly while hiding the battered book behind his back. Sif smoothed the duvet over me and moved more hair out of my face trying to make me look presentable, and Odin entered the room.

"She is awake and speaking Allfather." Thor said and I tried to sit up more, but was still too weak to move much and my head spun. Odin fixed his one eye on Loki who swallowed and gave a nod to Odin in recognition, his eyes looked down in shame and I noticed it feeling bad for Loki in that moment. I recognized that expression and remembered me struggling at four to please my own father and failing.

Odin moved to the side of my bed, and his face softened as he put his hand my forehead gently. He took in a sad breath, and smiled kindly at me.

"It is good to see you are well Child." He said and his hand rested again on my cheek. "You are still chilled though, and may need time to recover from your incident."

"It was my fault…." I began but he cut me off and sighed.

"You do not need to take any blame for their foolishness, rest now." He crossed his hands in front of him and I still wanted to protest his treatment of Thor and Loki.

"It was my idea to explore the ruins though." I blurted out and my head swam again, making me stop speaking and taking several breaths.

"What ruins?" Odin then asked everyone in the room.

"A temple of some kind in the North Woods, she found a path that led back to it. It was interesting, and Lilliana is quite gifted with her mind Allfather." Sif said, and Odin looked genuinely curious as he turned to Loki, he shifted and looked up arrogantly as he spoke.

"Possibly a primitive Tribal House of worship." Loki said and shifted on his feet. "I intend to allow her to rest tomorrow, so I may go down to The Archives for any record of this. It should be noted that she speaks and reads the old language quite adeptly, she is intelligent at best."

Odin looked at me and made a sound that indicated he was impressed and he lifted my hand up in his and I worried for a moment he was going to be angry with me, instead he looked down at me and ran his thumb over the rings on my fingers as he thought and smiled.

"Who taught you how to speak and read this language?" Odin asked me and I searched his face briefly for a motive, and did not find one.

"My school on Earth, they taught it along with theology." I said and sighed heavily.

"Mortals are far cleverer than you previously thought Father." Thor said and Odin regarded him for a moment and did not hide his annoyance at the sound of Thor's voice.

"With all respect intended." Thor added quickly and Odin looked back down at me, pale and helpless.

"So many facets to this small woman, a jewel in so cut with skill so you will never see all the strikes of the hammer and chisel. Turn it one way and the shine is no less brilliant by age." He said and turned to leave. "Rest and recover Lady Lilliana, and do not allow me to hear from Eir or anyone else here that you are in the infirmary again."

Odin walked to the door and motioned silently for Thor to walk with him and I sank back into my nest of pillows and sighed as they both left the room.

Loki sat back down on the couch and opened the book again to his place to continue reading, acting as if nothing had actually happened to begin with. Sif filled the cup again and Fandral brought me a tray of food setting it on my lap and I picked at it slowly, some of the food ended up in my mouth.

"You can borrow it if you want." I said to Loki and he glanced up at me coolly and then returned to the book as if I had not said anything to begin with, he turned the page silently, and I rolled my eyes.

"He is trying to irk you." Sif said and glared at him, Fandral took my hand gently and held it in both of his close to his chest.

"I must leave you dear Lady," He said smiling down at me. "But please know that I shall have my thoughts on your recovery."

He released my hand patting it and I tried not to groan at him. I rolled my eyes to punctuate the groan, and Loki gave a low chuckle from his spot. Sif looked at the ceiling and rested her hands on her hips.

"Are you ever going to give up?" I asked him as he turned to leave and he glanced back at me and smiled.

"Tenacity is my worst quality." He winked at me and I threw a pillow as he went to open the door and caught him between the shoulders, Sif threw her head back and laughed and even Loki smiled as he looked up from the book to observe the action. Loki stood himself, stretching cat like and tucked the book under his arm but his face stayed calm and collected.

"I shall return this to you," Loki said as he moved to leave. "I find myself interested in how this, Mark Watney, survives his ordeal."

"Loki finds himself fascinated in something of Midguard?" Sif asked incredulously. "Someone needs to truly mark this day."

"I celebrate intelligence Sif." Loki said and sighed. "The Little Mouse has proven that she has it, otherwise I would leave her to flounder and not take on the task of teaching her at all. However, she still is crude and has yet to prove to be anything more."

"Just pretend I am not here, no problem asshole." I said and I threw a second pillow at Loki and it bounced off his shoulder. He glared at me and I glared back, daring him to pull something. The standoff ended as he grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Also, I told you to stop calling me that, and I change for no one. Get used to it jerk face." I said holding another small pillow in my hand and was ready to launch another attack.

"I will be in the archives tomorrow." He said sighing. "Rest and we shall begin the day after, you are not so protected that you cannot be punished for insolence."

He said and I launched the pillow at him, but this time he stepped sideways and it missed him. Sif took the tray off my lap and I turned my head to try and grab some grapes before she cleared everything away when a pillow hit me in the side of my head.

'Loki!" I shrieked and he cocked his head at me with a sheepish smile.

"Both of you stop it," Sif warned and I lay back against the bed. "You were leaving Loki?"

She crossed her arms and he turned and left the room as Sif picked up a pillow off he ground. She put the pillows back behind me and I groaned as I began feeling tired again, and wanted to drift off to sleep.

"Stop provoking him, Loki can become unmercifully cruel if you push him too far." She warned and sat next to me on the bed. "I count you as a friend, and I don't want you to get hurt."

She took my hand and gently held it, her eyes concerned as she looked down at me. I gave her a weak smile back and I laughed.

"I will lay off him," I said and she looked relieved. "I promise, but you have to admit that I was a good shot with that pillow."

"You were, but I will still worry about you. I do not like you being put under his charge, he cannot be trusted and I hope that you keep your guard up around him." He said and I sighed and looked up at her.

"I will be careful Sif, I promise." I said and she smiled.

"Good, I have training tomorrow, but will check on you in the afternoon. Thor and Fandral will be in Vanaheim to offer assistance in cleaning up the remnants of the Civil War there; perhaps you will get to meet Volstagg when they return."

"Is Volstagg a flirt too?" I asked her yawning.

"No, but he may help keep Fandral off of you." She replied and I settled back into the nest of pillows and blankets, my eyes involuntarily closed and I barely heard Sif before I fell back into dreamless sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning I woke up to see Aimee standing next to my bed and looking very nervously down at me. She trembled wide eyed, and stayed silent.

"I'm still alive Aimee," I sighed and rolled over onto my back to stretch and rubbed my eyes. "Stop worrying about me, I am not made of glass."

I looked at her and stretched again, letting the blankets pool around my waist as I glanced at her, but she still looked nervously at me.

"Lady." She said in a voice that was barely a whisper and pointed at the couch. I turned my head to see Loki reclined on it and looking at various scrolls and flipping pages in a book as he read from it earnestly.

"Good afternoon." He said not looking up at me and I scrambled to pull the blankets over me, I panicked and I threw a pillow at him followed by another.

"OUT!" I shouted at him and he caught one pillow in mid air and the other one hit him in the face, I pointed at the door and he stood up and tossed the pillow in his hand back on the foot of the bed as he moved to leave, glaring at me in irritation.

"I will wait in the hall until you are properly dressed," he gestured to the scrolls and books as he opened the door. "I found much that may be of interest to you in The Archives."

He opened the door behind him as he vanished through it and I looked at Aimee who was shaking her head at me worried.

"He was here when I came in." Aimee said quickly, shivering as she spoke.

"He just sat there studying those old texts, I was frightened." She blurted out. I calmly took a few breaths and smiled at her as she look around nervously, I climbed out of the bed and hugged her.

"I am pretty sure his bark is worse than his bite Aimee," I said and grinned. "Go get my bath ready please and after I am dressed find things to do, I want you to stay until Sif gets here."

She nodded at me and I sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand gently, giving it a reassuring squeeze and she smiled at me.

"On the upside, if he tries anything, you get to see how tough I am." She smiled at the thought and went behind the screen to prepare my bath as I looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki waited patiently in the hall as Lilliana bathed and dressed, he had gone to The Archives before dawn and found no information on the ruins to his frustration, but he did find information on the Illendrial and felt it pertinent to share it with her. He was frustrated when he found her still asleep when he opened her door carrying his load of books and scrolls and deposited them onto the couch. He let his irritation dissipate remembering her ordeal the previous day and sat and waited when the Chambermaid entered and yelped seeing him sitting and patiently looking through everything he had found.

He fumed internally at her scolding him again, and who was she to throw things at him, who did the girl think she was, that she thought herself better than him. It was a great irritation to him to be treated as a servant, she was a silly Midguardian, she should respect him in all ways. She should respect the power that he was, and be more penitant toward him.

She would probably tell Sif of his being there while she slept and that would be entertaining at best to see Sif rage at him, but he would deal with that when it occurred. The Chambermaid however, that stupid little girl. Staring at him like she was afraid, and with good reason. Constantly watching and cowering away like a beaten animal made him smile, she knew true respect and he commanded that he be shown it in his very presence. But she also did not give him the respect he demanded of them, she edged around him as she worked. Shaking and trying not to look at him, but when she did, she stared and it irritated him more.

Staring at him like he was a monster.

He adjusted his black tunic quietly and began to feel impatient, he was not one to wait and he had to adjust to being forced to be patient since the stripping of his status following his crimes. He looked at his hands and a guard walked by glaring at him, he glared back silently, his already cloudy mood growing stormy as he adjusted his vest on his shoulders.

Perhaps the information he had would convince her that he could be an ally to her, and then he could plant the seeds in her mind that would begin swaying her. Once her usefulness was over, getting rid of her would be easy. He would dump her in the hands of The Collector, and he could do with her as he wanted.

Behind him, the door to the chamber opened and the Chambermaid looked down at the floor cautiously as he watched.

"She is ready." She said and moved aside to allow him to enter, before he walked past the girl he stopped and she flinched away as he regarded her.

"Stay and report that nothing improper occurred." He commanded, using his gifts and the girl nodded obediently.

Loki entered the room and saw her dressed in a sky blue dress with gossamer sleeves that hung gracefully from her pale arms, the high collar looked regal on her as her hair fell in ebony waves and curls down her back a gold circlet held her hair out of her face. She looked on and turned so that the sun shone off her hair and the clothes looked flattering on her, draping gracefully on her thin frame. He looked at her as she turned slowly, her graceful fingers running over the page in front of her. She was looking down at one of the scrolls, reading it her eyes scanning the page, and carefully holding the ancient vellum so she would not damage it. She set the scroll down and picked up a book and held it in her arms as she read the page and her face looked sad and confused at the same time. She pulled her lower lip into her mouth and worried at it in thought with her teeth, the sadness in her eyes becoming more and more evident as she read.

His thoughts turned strangely gentle toward the fragile creature in front of him, and he let his eyes study the gentle curve of her cheek, and arch of upper lip, and the careful lines that created the expression as she pulled her lower lip into her mouth again and she bit it.

He cleared his throat and she looked up from the book and carefully set it back down where she found it and looked as if she were about to loose control of herself. She turned in the flat shoes she wore and paced for a bit, putting her hand to her forehead in thought and took a few breaths. Her small, long fingered hands folding and unfolding as she thought and she looked sadly down at the papers and back up at him.

"Where did you find all this?" She asked him, and Loki noticed that lost look in her eyes again. I look he once had a few years ago when his own world came crashing down around him and he learned a terrible truth about himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was dumbstruck by what I was reading about myself, I scanned another scroll, having to push a flowing sleeve out of my way to bend and pick up a book that was probably older than Christianity when he walked back in. I read a bit from the Illuminated Text and he cleared his throat to get my attention. My Latin was rusty, but I got the point of the words in front of me.

"Where did you find all this?" I asked him, and he studied me briefly before speaking.

"In The Archives." He replied and I looked around me and picked up another scroll but it was written in a language I could not understand. I put it down carefully and sat on the couch to sift through the papers and books, taking in information from everything around me.

"I thought no one knew for sure what I was and that it was all legend." I said picking at my hand nervously as I stood up and began pacing back and forth. "Why was I lied to, this is all written out and pretty damn clear here. Why not just fucking tell me?"

I stared at Loki and wanted to throw something really bad, my nails dug into the back of my hand, drawing blood and immediately began healing. I studied his expression, and his face gave me nothing but pity and I became more and more irritated.

"What the hell is wrong with everyone here, stop pitying me and give me some answers or get the hell out!" I screamed and pointed at the door angrily and a burst of energy shot out of my hand causing a vase to explode, I jumped back and looked at what I did, wide eyed and covered my mouth with me hand.

"Damnit!" I said as Aimee who was putting new sheets on the bed yelped in shock. "I did not mean to do that, I am a freaking idiot."

I sighed and walked out onto the balcony and sat down on a chaise lounge unable to hold back the frustrated tears that came.

I heard Aimee begin cleaning up the remnants of the vase and a hand rested on my shoulder gently, I shrugged it away but it returned. I looked up at Loki and saw him offering me a cloth and I took it and used it to mop my face. He sat down on the Chaise across from me and let me have time to collect myself.

"I don't know why Odin omitted all this," he began and sat back slightly as I glared at him. "Perhaps he was not aware of these texts himself. I only found them myself this morning to be honest, and I thought they would give you some answers." I sniffed and wiped my nose as Aimee brought a tray of food out to us setting it on the table.

"I need to fetch some supplies to finish cleaning up the vase." She said and I nodded and she left us both sitting on the balcony as she finished more tasks in the room.

"I'm a monster…" I began but Loki stopped me before I could continue my thought.

"No." He said firmly. "You are a scared girl, nothing more, I know of monsters and you are not one."

"Don't handle me with kid gloves. I know what I am, and I am so tired of everyone looking at me, and making me out to be this great thing when I don't even know what I am." I snapped at him and he pinched his lips together and sighed through his nose.

"You, as scared. You grew and thought yourself one thing, to have the curtain pulled back and forced to realize what you really are. Nothing more." He said and I frowned as he picked through the tray of food next to me. "Are you hungry?"

He picked up and apple and cut it in half with a knife from the tray in his long fingered hand and offered me one of the halves. I took it and bit into the half as he reached into his vest and pulled a leather bound book out of his inner pocket as I sniffed again and wrapped my arms around myself.

"I want you to read this," he said. "Maybe you could use some of the philosophies and teachings in your learning, use them to control your powers."

I took the book and carefully opened it and began eating my half of the apple, and read a paragraph from it and closed it gently.

"Thanks," I said and finished my apple. "I guess we can't have me going around blowing up vases or Fandral every time I get annoyed." I could tell he was imagining Fandral exploding because he gave a soft laugh and smiled. I returned the laugh nervously as he watched me and I looked around at everything but him.

"No, I imagine we cannot have that." He said and wiped his hand on a cloth after taking my piece of core and placing it on the tray. He then took a hold of my hands in his and held them palms up in his and I tried to jerk them back feeling uncomfortable at the contact, but he slid his thumbs into my palms and held them fast.

"What are you doing?" I asked suddenly and he looked at my hands and looked at me calmly as I sat back a bit and tried to put more space between us.

"Concentrate on your power," he instructed me and I did as I was told, and took in a breath as his hands cradled mine and eventually fell away from mine.

"Picture in your mind and concentrate on any animal you wish. Breathe and concentrate on it, see its body, and hear its heart beat, see it if it has tooth or claw, and hold the image. Give it form and see it where you want it to be in your hands, give it life and let it form." Between my hands a blue glow began and I continued to concentrate and I could feel a surge of power build in my chest.

"See it and give it breath and life." In my cupped hands, a small brown bird formed and I looked at it amazed. I let out a nervous laugh and it perched on my thin fingers and began twittering, its small black eyes blinking at me as it sang me a song.

"I did this?" I asked Loki in disbelief and he smiled at me a chuckled as he leaned back on his elbow.

"You did." He replied and I laughed as it stretched its wings and flew about the balcony and landed back on my hand. I thought about making it vanish and it faded away in a puff of blue energy.

"I can't believe I did that." I said, and he tipped his head and knitted his brows as he looked at me.

"Why can't you believe you created an illusion of a bird? It is the simplest form of magic and power." He said and created a bird himself in his hand.

"Try something else." He said challenging me and I put my hand out and made a butterfly that flitted around my head and vanished again.

"Can I make a Bilgesnipe chase Fandral next time he flirts with me." Loki laughed at the thought as he put a strawberry in his mouth, and I turned my head to look at the door when I heard it open and saw Sif walked into the room.

"If you do, make sure I can see it Little Mouse." He said and Sif stopped short when she saw the broken vase. She then saw Loki and drew her sword as she walked forward. I jumped up as she approached, a look of threat and anger crossing her face. I tried to stop her and explain, but she swung the sword around and I had to duck as she pointed it directly at Loki to avoid loosing my head.

"What happened in there?" She demanded and looked at me for any sign of injury, and I looked at her wide eyed.

"I broke it," I said putting my hand on her sword wrist and she looked at me suspiciously. "New hobby, I blow up vases when I get bored."

I shrugged and she lowered her sword and looked at the wide eyed Aimee for clarification, who nodded at Sif and she sighed. What can I say, I have a gift for diffusing a bad situation with sarcasm and humor.

"It is true Lady Sif," Aimee said. "The vase was but an accident on the part of Lady Lilliana, she lost control of her powers." Sif relaxed and put her sword back and grabbed my shoulders, her concern was painfully obvious as she searched my face.

"Did he threaten you, hurt you in any way that you had to defend yourself?" She asked and I heard Loki groan.

"No." I said and squirmed as the tips of her fingers dug into my right shoulder, recognizing she was hurting me she released my shoulders and grabbed me into a hug and my face banged against her breastplate.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and I returned the hug allowing the tension in my back to ease bit by bit.

"Uh…..Sif…..I need to breathe." I said and she pulled away laughing at my joke and I grabbed her hand and made her sit next to me on the chaise.

"You have to see what Magic Dance taught me." I said and held my hand out so she could watch as a little brown mouse formed and began rubbing it's little front paws together and scurried up my arm and under my hair and down to my other hand, it tickled my neck and I squirmed at the contact a bit, but Sif looked amused. She smiled and touched the little mouse in my hand, and Loki sighed not hiding his exasperation at his new nickname.

"Magic Dance?" He said and I gave him a sheepish smile as the mouse vanished from my hand.

"You call me Little Mouse, so I am going to call you Magic Dance until you stop." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and grinned at me, this time his smile was genuine and his blue eyes sparkled.

"We will see who gives up the game first Little Mouse."

"Challenge accepted Magic Dance." I said and threw a little sass his way, Sif laughed and shook her head and as she spoke.

"This is going to be interesting, very interesting." She said and laughed again.

"Don't make me start calling you Xena Warrior Princess." I warned and picked up a small meat sandwich from the tray and took a cautious bite.

"What is he doing alone with you in your chambers?" She eyed him suspiciously and I swallowed quickly and came to my own defense.

"We were not alone," I said feigning shock. "Aimee was here, and he found stuff about me in the Archives, you have to see how much. It is really weird to be honest."

I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room and showed her the books and scrolls on the couch and floor, she picked up a scroll as Loki followed us into the room, and she frowned at it as she read from the paper thoughtfully.

"The Allfather said little was known about you." She said and looked at Loki.

"Yeah, a real kick in the damn teeth huh?" I said and looked at her.

"They were rather dusty and buried in a stack, possibly forgotten about." He said and Sif sat down on the couch as Loki pushed a high backed chair up and Aimee brought the tray of food in for us from the patio.

"Maybe we should show these to Odin, we show him the proof and he will have to tell me what he knows." I said quickly and Loki shook his head.

"Every one of these texts point toward your being a weapon of power, what if he decides to use you as such?" He said and sat in the chair as I moved some of the texts aside and sat on the couch, looking to Sif for guidance.

"She doesn't resemble a sword, but I see your point Loki. However, what is to stop anyone of using her for their gain?" She said and looked directly at him as she read. "This one is fascinating; it says that you have the ability to travel between points on a map at will."

"Really?" I asked and read over her shoulder, thinking hard and closing my eyes and opened them from the other side of the bed. Both Loki and Sif gaped at the place I was once sitting on the couch, I picked up a pillow and threw it at Loki and it hit him on the back and he turned to see me standing in my spot. I laughed and picked up another pillow and vanished to appear next to him and swung the pillow at him and it caught him in the chest and then vanished again to stand on the other side of the couch.

He frowned at me and picked up the pillow on the floor and threw it at me, and I vanished again to appear next to him before the pillow hit me and knocked him in the back of the head again with the one I held. I laughed and nearly fell over and Sif looked at us amused and I hit him again and vanished to appear back next to the bed and laughed even harder.

"You best up your pillow combat game boy." I said and he rolled his eyes at me. "This is going to be so awesome for pranks." I said and vanished again and appeared sitting in the chair that Loki pulled over.

"How did you do that?" Sif asked and Loki looked interested as well.

"I just pictured where I wanted to go and I let my body drift, it feels kind of weird though like a tugging sensation in my stomach." I said and vanished from the chair and appeared on the couch making Sif jump a bit. I laughed and tapped my feet on the floor.

"Clever." Loki said impressed, "You are beginning to get control over your gifts, but may I ask you to not use that particular on to go places you are not familiar with until you master it? The results of a mistake could be disastrous in the interim."

"Like?" I asked him raising an eyebrow.

"You could reappear in a wall or a door, or even in the middle of a situation that is unsafe." He replied and sat down in the chair and brought his hand up to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"All right Yoda, I will not use The Force until I master it. Your Padawan will obey the Jedi Code." Sif looked at me and Aimee even stopped what she was doing and looked at me.

"Star Wars reference, completely over your heads." I said and picked another sandwich off the tray and took a bite of it.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

We spent the afternoon and early evening reading, drinking tea, eating, and then doing more reading. Sighing, I put the book I was looking at down and rubbed my tired eyes, standing up to stretch while raising my arms over my head. I paced about and stretched again, letting knotted muscles relax slowly as I let out a sigh. I caught Loki staring at me and he returned to his book when he realized I saw him.

"Restless?" Sif asked me and I resisted the urge to say "bingo" because I would just end up explaining it to them, and I was getting tired of that game.

"That, and my eyes are starting to cross from all the reading." I stood up on my toes again. "When is Fandral and Thor getting back, I need to burn off some energy."

Sif rubbed her eyes and sighed quietly, and looked at me as Loki drank from a tea cup and set it back aside on the dark wooded table he moved next to his chair to rest his cup on. He licked his lips as I leaned over the back of the couch next to Sif and looked at what she was reading. She glanced up at me and smiled and patted my hand with her calloused one as she studied me briefly.

"Missing your suitor Little Mouse?" He quipped and I shot a look at him that told him to watch it.

"That statement was so stupid, it gave me Forest Whitaker eye." I said and they both looked at me for clarification.

"He is an actor with a lazy eye, and for your information Fandral is so not my type." I explained growing irritated and Loki went back to his reading grinning to himself about his bad joke.

"Don't look so smug Magic Dance, you are so not my type either. I don't go for tall, annoying, and pasty."

"I shall do my best to hide my broken heart and refrain from shedding tears." He said in his usual sardonic way and I grinned at him as Sif giggled.

"Oooooh, God of Sass." I said and Sif laughed out loud, Loki gave a genuine smile at my joke. "Look out ladies, the sarcasm is strong with this one."

"I believe I prefer Magic Dance." He set the scroll he was reading down gingerly and stretched cat like as he sat in the chair. His demeanor looked relaxed and at paece as he looked in front of him, and he folded his hands over his stomach. He looked down at the floor with secret thoughts crossing his mind as I idly tossed an apple into the air and caught it. Sif broke the silence with a yawn and even she started squirming restlessly in her seat, her body unused to being sedentary for so long. I tossed the apple again and it got caught in the cup of the chandelier above me and we all looked up at it, unsure of how to get it down. Loki sighed and looked at me in annoyance, I shrugged as he rolled his eyes at me and I glanced back up at the apple.

"Oops." I said and blushed.

"Perhaps a walk will do us good." Sif said and we both looked at her and we all looked up at the apple in the chandelier. I felt embarrassment creep back in and I stepped back.

"Not the wilds" Loki said and looked again at the fruit. "We don't want a repeat performance of yesterday."

"Agreed Loki." Sif said tersely, and she looked back at me. "But if you tell anyone I agreed with you, I shall deny it."

"Why don't we just walk around and see where we end up?" I asked getting even more antsy and Sif stood and moved out from under where the apple was perched in case it fell. Loki stood quickly, something crossing his mind and he walked over to the door of the room and turned to me, I looked at him and back at Sif nervously.

"I have an idea, and know of a place that would be rather relaxing, do you like stargazing?" He asked and Sif eyed him with suspicion, I nodded and smiled wide. He opened the door and began to leave.

"Sif, take the Little Mouse and I shall meet you both at the docks, we will need a boat."

He vanished through the door and closed it heavily, knocking the apple loose and causing it to fall onto the sofa where it bounced on the cushions. Sif picked it up and handed it to me as Aimee hurried in and handed me a soft blue wrap sprinkled with beads and beautiful goldwork embroidery.

"What does he have planned?" Sif asked and I laughed as I dug into my bag for my phone and a set of portable speakers.

"I don't know, but bring your sword just in case. Mr. Creepy Pants is up to something, and I am hoping it is not involving two graves." I said and she took my hand to lead me out the door and to the docks.

"What is that?" She asked me as I carried my items.

"What is a boat trip without music?" I asked and she smiled at me and I showed her the phone. "I have over a thousand songs saved in here, all the great stuff."

"This should be an interesting evening." She said as we walked around a corner toward the docks.

"You may like some of my music, don't knock it. Just in case, how tall is he, we may need to dig his grave." I chided as we walked and she smiled at me warmly.

"You may be right, I will try to remember a shovel." Sif said and I laughed as we walked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Boats in Asgard are completely different from ours on Earth. For one they glide above the water and land through the air, and they are more graceful and streamlined to allow airflow over the hull instead of the large clunky things we have now. Almost Viking in design, they had two large stabilizing fins that arched up in the back and offered whoever was steering protection from whatever. I ran my hands over the hull and marveled at the design and aerodynamics of the craft when Loki appeared behind us carrying a heavy looking wooden case and heaved it over the side of one boat carefully and began untying ropes, throwing them about excitedly. Sif braced her hand and foot on the side of the hull as she helped me into to craft and I immediately sat on one bench nervously. I had no clue what I was in for, and I felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Where exactly are we going Loki?" Sif asked, suspicion lacing her tone as he gracefully climbed into the boat after her. "And will it be safe?"

"No Bilgesnipe where we are going Sif. Maybe a few Fire Sprites, but I can guarantee safety where we are going to." He said and secured the case to the hull as we drifted peacefully. He then wrapped one long fingered hand around the control and gently guided us away from the dock.

"You give one hint of threat Loki…." Sif warned and he rolled his eyes as we glided gracefully three feet above the water. I plugged the speakers and tapped Sif on the shoulder and we scrolled through the music I had downloaded. I found a shovel under one of the benches, and held it up for Sif to see and she laughed as I winked at her. I picked up the phone again and scrolled through everything on the phone.

"Any requests?" I asked and Loki took a vague interest in what we were doing together, yet still keeping an eye on the front of the boat as he guided it along. He moved his hand forward slowly on the control and we picked up speed over the water as the sun set.

"Surprise us." Sif said and I grinned and tapped on The Black Keys and Lonely Boy started playing through the Bose speakers. I then queued a play list and Loki smiled at me as we shot through the fading light.

"I like this," Sif said as the rolling drum beat pounded away. "Is all music from Midguard like this?"

"Some of it is pretty bad, but most of it is great." I said and carefully stood up on a bench and let the wind blow my hair back, on the road near the water, I saw some people look up at us and I waved reflexively to them as I pushed my hair out of my face. They looked back at me and I glanced over at Sif who smiled up at me and grabbed my hand.

"Over or under?" Loki asked as we approached a bridge in our way.

"Under!" Sif shouted and I turned around and laughed. Suddenly, we gained altitude and I was nearly thrown back as we went up and over the bridge and I laughed and cheered as we gained speed as we descended.

"Remind me to take Sif on roller coasters!" I shouted and felt giddy inside as we shot through the pylons.

"I am not that self destructive Loki!" Sif screamed and pulled me down off the bench, but I pulled away away from her.

"Lighten up Sif, this is awesome!" I yelled back, and laughed.

I felt like a little kid as we banked around an outcropping of rocks along a seaside cliff and headed out into open water. I stood again as we picked up more speed and threw my arms out and looked down at Sif to find her smiling back up at me. The wrap flew off my shoulders and Loki caught it before it could be carried away and wrapped it around one of his wrists.

"Good catch!" I shouted back at him and he winked back at me smugly and eased his hand back on the control to slow the boat as we turned around two rocky islands. He circled twice and I looked over the hull as he judged the best place to dock. Slowly he brought the boat to a full stop along a rocky shore and Sif grabbed a couple torches stored under one of the seats. Loki jumped out and used one of the ropes to tie off the boat and I stood up and waited, my hair windswept but we were still alive.

He politely put his hand out to help me out of the boat and Sif jumped down before me and ran along the shore, setting torches every yard or so. I cautiously took his hand and he helped me down from the craft, and I repressed a shudder as he looked at me with predatory eyes. I pulled away, and walked back a few steps. He looked at me as I turned and tried not to look directly at him.

I set my feet down in the wet sand and ran forward throwing myself toward a rock dramatically and wrapped my arms around it, knowing that Sif would enjoy a joke.

"Land!" I shouted and Sif laughed as she finished with her torches and left them in a loose circle so we would have some light. Loki climbed back into the boat and unsecured his case from the hull heaving it up onto his shoulder and walked up from the torches a bit and set it down, we walked up to join him and I picked up a few rocks along the way. I tuned them over in my hands and looked at the smooth stones as we walked.

"No tricks, Sif," He said carefully unlatching the brass and wood case. "Just a peaceful adventure, however Little Mouse tends for the dramatic I see."

He handed the wrap back to me and I shrugged as I put it over my shoulders. A breeze off the water made me happy to have it, and I pulled it around my shoulders as I looked at the box.

"I still would have gone under." She snapped as he opened the case and moved aside a cloth to reveal a gold and brown telescope carefully tucked inside, he lifted it and handed it to me as he removed the tripod for it from under another cloth. I laid it down carefully on the cloth he spread out on the sand and looked up to the sky. He began setting it up and Sif and I backed off to let him work in relative peace and turned the rocks I had picked up over in my hand again.

"Why all the way out here?" She asked then and I looked at her.

"No light pollution, you can see more" I said and they both looked at me briefly.

"Little Mouse is correct there." He said and adjusted the legs of the tripod so it was level. "And what exactly is the fun of life if you never take risks Sif?"

He carefully mounted the telescope onto the tripod and removed a cover and carefully screwed in an eyepiece that jutted out ninety degrees from the main scope. He blew some dust away and frowned at his work, looking over at Sif and grinning.

"Nice," I said and he looked at me. "You get a clearer image with a refracting telescope." He looked at me with surprise and I closed my eyes.

"Why does it continue to shock you that I have more than two rocks holding my ears apart?" I asked him feeling irritated at him and sighed. He removed the lens cover and carefully brushed dust off the lens with a soft brush.

"It amazes me," He said as he worked. "Because the few Midguardians I have had contact with, were intelligent in a singular course of study. You however, seem to be a scholar of many fields. I find that fascinating about you in a way, and somewhat strange."

He looked through the eyepiece and made a few adjustments on the focus and fine focus, he looked back at me and Sif put an arm protectively around me. I shivered from the cold and I guess Sif took it as me being afraid, because she rested her hand on her sword and gave me a squeeze.

"If you try to understand on thing, you should understand the rest. I wanted to be a Geologist and study Volcanoes." I said and sighed, "You have to know what effects on history Plate Tectonics have on the planet as a whole. The best way to see it is to look at History itself, and how the world was shaped by a single Tectonic event. I wrote an entire Thesis about the eruption of Kraktoa and its effects on trade and Socio Economic impacts in history. I made the argument that everything was effected, all the way down to trade and politics, and I got a very good grade on the paper. But, no one wanted to give money to the kid no one wanted, to study stuff no one really cares about." I said and picked up another rock and started skipping them as the sky turned a deeper purple.

"Geologist?" Sif asked as I skipped another rock.

"A person who studies the Earth and all its workings, mostly rocks volcanoes, and earthquakes, with a smattering of chemistry and the elements." I answered and picked up another rock to skip and managed three skips before it sank into the water.

"And what would your science do if it found all the answers to all the questions?" Loki asked, and I shrugged as I picked up another smooth rock about the size of a golf ball and walked over to the light of a torch to look at it.

"Found a garnet," I said and showed it to Sif. "To answer your question Loki, I suppose we would find other questions to ask, people are like that, always curious and seeking knowledge."

I sat back down next to Sif on the rock and she handed me back the Garnet, I tossed it in the air and caught it again. Loki took it from me as the sky darkened and looked at carefully, handing it back to me as I watched the sun set.

"I assume you can study until the end of time now," She said and I thought on it for a bit and rolled the stone in my hands.

"I could, but I will never be published as a serious scientist until I get an education, or a degree in my field." I said, "Everything is dependent on a piece of paper from a school that says you have a brain. Without it, you are looked down on and that is the double edged sword of the planet Earth. Too smart for one job, to broke to get the education for the other job."

I sighed, and looked up at the dark sky and Loki walked back over to the telescope quietly and panned it around the sky. I crossed my arms and looked back down at my feet as I nudged some of the sand around with my toe.

"Constellations are different here." I said and I scanned the sky for Earth, feeling lost and alone in the cosmos. Sif wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze and we sat quietly as Loki stopped and focused the telescope carefully on a point in the sky. From the boat, I could hear Man on the Moon by R.E.M playing and sighed again feeling so very small. A tiny speck in the universe, on an island with no escape, my only protection from the slightly creepy dude with us, Sif. It could be worse.

"Would you allow me to indulge your quest for knowledge?" Loki asked and I smiled politely and walked over to the telescope, he gave a gesture inviting me to look into the eyepiece. I hesitated a bit, making sure I was not playing into something and looked back at Sif. I bent over and looked into the eyepiece and saw the vaporous cloud of ionized gasses that made up a stunning orange and purple Nebula. I studied the beautiful oranges and deep purples carefully, marveling at the range of color and light and noticed a major star in the center of it and lifted my head and gaped at him in surprise.

"Is there a solar system in the heart of that Nebula?" I asked him, and he smiled approvingly at me and shook his head. I looked back through the eyepiece and adjusted the fine focus carefully.

"It is the Draxis system," he said and I waved Sif over to look. "I have been there and do not recommend it, no intelligent life there yet, but there is promise should the primitive creatures there choose to evolve."

Sif looked and gave an audible gasp as she studied the beauty of the comic vapors floating silently in space.

"Beautiful." She said as she looked and smiled at me and looked back again.

"Intelligence is subjective," I said to him. "To you Earth must look very primitive compared to your technology, but you can't judge a planet by their knowledge. Some planets have evolved at a faster rate than others, and some races have mastered their technology at different rates. We have cars and engines, you have horses. We have internet, you guys have...whatever it is you have." I said and Loki may have tried to ignore it, but he still thought about what I said his face betraying him.

"That being, you called it a Nebula," He replied to me and I nodded. "You are clever Little Mouse."

Sif moved away from the telescope and he took it back and started scanning the sky to find another interesting point in the universe and I crossed my arms. Sif made a gesture of her stabbing him in the back as he looked through the eyepiece and I hid a giggle.

"Astronomy Club. And don't be an asshole." I said and he gestured for me to look again into the eyepiece. "It was better than going back to the Halfway House and listening to everyone fight all night."

I looked into the viewfinder and decided instantly to be a huge smart ass when I saw the Globular Cluster he had pointed the lens to. I studied the mass of stars and shifted my focus a bit around it, sometimes clues to the universe were in the outlying masses.

"What is the galactic core that acts as the satellite for this particular Globular Cluster?" I asked Loki and he genuinely smiled at my question and Sif looked into the eyepiece.

"Unknown." He said and laughed as he leaned back against a rock. Sif stepped back and I looked at it again, enjoying the cosmic dance in front of my eye as the water lapped at the shore.

"Well Magic Dance." I said and pointed at the telescope. "You started this game, point it at something else. And don't try to trip me up with a black hole." I warned and Sif laughed behind me as he took control of the scope again and moved it about looking for something of interest among the stars.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He did not know why he did not lie to her about the texts. He could have easily said that they were all well known, but he instead chose an honest course of action. Perhaps she would be more appreciative of honesty, and still be of help in his plans in her innocent trust. His eyes scanned as he slowly found what he was looking for and he waved her back over, she walked over hesitating as she stepped and bent to put her eye to the viewfinder, he noted her hesitation and the way she looked at him in distrust, filing the information away in his mind and estimated that she would be a bit of a challenge to him. But even the strongest of wills could be broken eventually.

"Count two planets from the star," He said and watched Lilliana adjust the focus carefully, her thin graceful fingers turning the nob deftly. "That is Xandar. It is populated by many races from across the Galaxy."

He watched her and she had to push her gossamer sleeve back to prevent it from bumping the telescope and upsetting the delicate instrument, not pressing her eye to the eyepiece as Sif had, instead peering down at it and blinking as she looked into the universe above her.

He had not planned to bring her or Sif out here but he felt it would give him new keys to unlocking how to manipulate and twist her for his use if he did. Perhaps she would also let something more slip from behind that guarded exterior she fought so very hard to keep. He noted that, and knew something in her past made her this way, the way she shrank away from touch.

"Have you been there too?" She asked him, genuine curiosity in her voice and began panning the telescope carefully, exploring the sky for herself. He thought about it and remembered the two women who promised him a crown, but only delivered pain and humiliation at the hands of their master.

"I have," He said and smiled watching her adjust the focus and thinking of her lost goals and feeling a bit of pity she could not reach her desires and goals here in Asgard. He found himself feeling something of sadness for the girl and he could see her in a laboratory, bent over a sample as she studied it carefully. Her face lighting up with every discovery and proven hypothesis, the wonder of the study unfolding in front of her. He felt angry with Odin about bringing here, yet feeling strange himself for the feelings he was having. So much more angry with fate because her birth denied her dreams.

"I found a comet!" She said and waved him over for a look and he bent slightly to look into the eyepiece and laughed at her excitement. It was a comet, and a sizable one at that, he adjusted the focus and carefully examined the object.

"You have found one, but I am not sure which one you have discovered. I should have brought some charts." He said and surrendered the eyepiece back to her. She looked and worried at the back of her hand again. He resisted the urge to physically stop Lilliana from scratching at herself and crossed his arms and leaned further back on the rock to look up at the sky. Lilliana let Sif look as he watched them both, and cleared his throat sharply. The sound grabbing her attention and her eyes looked at him wide, a bit of the feral creature breaking through.

"Stop worrying at your hand." He said and it came out harsher than he meant it to, she looked down with a tic of her mouth and smoothed the skirt of her dress as Sif looked up and glared at him.

"She is going to cause herself injury." He explained, sighing and let them go back to their explorations. He saw a bit of hurt in her eyes and the light he noticed that was begun to grow behind them faded a bit.

"My apologies Lilliana, I did not mean for that to sound so harsh." Loki said and couldn't believe he was even saying it himself, she smiled at him softly as a tiny point of light fluttered in front of her. She looked at it cautiously and watched it dance away on the wind, her head twisting about as she turned and stretched her hand above her head, reaching up to try to touch the tiny point.

"Loki apologizing." Sif said and crossed her arms. "This is very new."

Sif eyed him suspiciously and Lilliana gave him a half smile and she graciously accepted his apology. She followed the point of light and tried to catch it, but it flittered away from her and into the sky.

"I forgive you." And her smile widened as another point of light glittered into her face as one landed on the hair that was draped over her shoulder, vaguely reminding him of a star on a dark night. The one that fluttered in her face she caught in her hands and she opened them carefully to look in her cupped palms, the light from her hands shone on her face warmly as another two landed on one of her arms.

"Fire Sprites. They are harmless." Sif said and nearly caught Loki admiring her, quickly he looked up at the stars trying to hide his gaze. But looked back at her as she opened her hands and let the tiny point of light go above her head as other ones began to circle away in the darkness.

"They are so pretty." Lilliana said and stretched her fingers out to allow one to land on the tip of her index finger briefly before it flew away. More collected in her hair like a crown, and another rested on her cheek. She put her hand out to let another land on her fingers and she studied the tiny creature on it carefully, a star in her eyes from the reflected light. It lifted away as the rest of them left in migratory patterns, sparks from a bonfire filling the sky from her head and shoulders. She watched them go and the waves lapped quietly on the shore as she turned, letting the wrap slip down her shoulders. The smile on her face warm and sweet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was late when we got back into the boat and began our trip back to the castle, the three of us were tired and Sif openly yawned as we gently glided over the water. Loki was slower going back as it was full dark and I lay back against the hull and looked up at the stars as we floated along, lost in my own daydream. Debussy came on over the phone and the soft first notes of Clair De Lune began playing through the speakers, Sif closed her eyes and let her ears take in the music as the piano music swelled into a crescendo. The bridge dark and massive loomed ahead, and Loki cautiously slowed to avoid the massive pylons as the music finished and the last notes were carried away into the night.

"Beautiful." Sif said and opened her eyes. "Midguardians are quite expressive." I nodded and smiled at her in the dim lantern light, I let out a sigh thinking sadly of all the things I wanted to see on my planet, but never did.

"There is a lot to the people on Earth." I said.

"We write music, we tell stories, and paint pictures of our dreams. We love too much and suffer, but we find something beautiful about it all. There is one artist who painted some of my favorite pictures, who was never famous while alive, but is appreciated for his talent hundreds of years after his death. I wish I could show them to you." I leaned forward and crossed my ankles sighing.

"Perhaps a future adventure." Loki suggested and I laughed and regarded him with a smile.

"Is that really a good idea? You did make a few dozen or so problems last time you were there, I am willing to bet that someone would not appreciate you visiting." I said and regretted it immediately, but when I looked up at him he was smiling and he squinted into the darkness ahead of him searching for any obstacles.

"It was a passing interest, and now I am overwhelmingly bored of the idea." He replied as he guided the boat around some rocks carefully.

"This is a Loki I have not seen for some time." Sif laughed and he glared at her angrily creating some tension between them.

"Sif, do you know when Thor and Fandral will be back from their adventure?" I asked trying to change the mood in the air, but failed miserably so I pulled the wrap up onto my head and draped it around my shoulders and began feeling uncomfortable.

I hummed along to one of the songs that began playing randomly. The melody was sad, but pretty and I studied the shawl as I spread one end over my lap. The beads and embroidery sparkled in the pale lamp light and I let myself sing along with the music as we rode through the darkness.

"Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread, through shadow, to the edge of night, until the stars all alight." I sang and let the song grow in my chest until the last two lines came out. "All shall fade, all shall….fade."

I ended the song and the last word was a barely there whisper that hung in the air as I leaned my head back against the boat and tried not to feel lonely. They both looked at me and I sighed and let my head fall back and I looked up at the night sky, dreaming of places somewhere far away and Sif leaned forward and touched the toe of my shoe. I looked at her and smiled as she looked at me.

"You have a gifted voice." Sif said and I looked up at Loki and he focused straight ahead, but he looked somewhat sad. "Maybe sing happier songs in the future." She patted my foot as I nodded back at her and jumped as the boat bumped into the dock. I stood up and Sif climbed over the side of the boat and began tying it off and I busied myself collecting my things and turning off the phone. Loki picked up his case, and helped me out of the boat, holding one of my arms as I lowered myself onto the dock. Briefly, he pulled me close before releasing me and whispered into my ear, scaring me and I tried to pull back. I did not like where this was going and I tensed for anything he might pull.

"Sing what you want, do not allow yourself to be silenced." I smiled in relief, surprised at him and he released my arm gently. He hefted his case and began waking ahead of us through the gate, I felt a strange pity for Loki as I walked along. Sif next to me as we laughed when a pair of rough hands grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, causing him to drop the case. Sif dove forward and caught it before it landed on the ground, and I pulled Sif's sword and growled at the red bearded man in heavy armor who regarded me with amusement.

"Let him go Eric the Red." I growled and Loki put a hand out on my shoulder to stop me. I poked the sword forward into the hard armor and inwardly cursed myself for aiming it where I had.

"Hello Volstagg, nice to be threatened by you again." Loki said calmly and the man looked down at me and smiled, but I refused to drop the heavy sword. Sudden laughter began to erupt behind him. The man called Volstagg released Loki and his mouth fell open at seeing me, his gaze flowing over my face as the wrap slipped down off my head and to the ground.

"Put that down before you get hurt Little Mouse." Loki said as Sif handed him the case and took the sword from me.

"Thor, you under described her beauty, and failed ta mention how fierce she was." Volstagg said and bowed to me. Fandral smiled, and went to gather me up in his arms, but I vanished from his reach defensively and he looked about confused as I reappeared next to Thor startling the massive God of Thunder. Thor looked at me and then looked at Loki in surprise and I grinned as his mouth fell open in his shock. He pointed at me and I giggled.

"She is a quick study." Loki said and picked up the wrap handing it to me as quick introductions were made between myself and Volstagg.

"My sincere apologies Lady, I did not mean ta frighten you." He said with a smile on his weathered face, and I nodded my understanding.

"You were not in your chambers, and one of the guards mentioned you were seen going to the docks with Loki." Thor said and crossed his massive arms,

"We did not know that you were also with Lady Sif, we were going to search for you but we saw Loki alone….we assumed the worst." I crossed my arms and glared at him, rolling my eyes.

"You assumed? Did you ever think for a minute that I would be fine? Judgmental much, remind me to never make a mistake or have one moment of transgression around you." I groaned and rubbed my face. My irritation rose seeing how people here worked, constantly judging people, and I was also tired from the adventure.

Never a good combination with me.

"Maybe you should start letting stuff go and stop judging people by their sins, the past is the past, and you need to bury it. We went out to an island, looked at stars, listened to music, and talked about the galaxy." I said and he looked at me with a hint of arrogance, his face showing anger as well and I started to regret my words.

"If you are going to be a king one day, may I suggest looking at people with better eyes?" I said and turned and walked away.

"Little Mouse," Loki said, stopping me before I got too far. "Be in the training yard tomorrow, we will begin your lessons in the morning."

I turned back and nodded at him, feeling that small bit of pity for him return as I stood there. Maybe he was not so creepy after all, just misunderstood, kind of like me.

"Will do Magic Dance, I hope your telescope did not get broken." I turned again and walked back to my rooms.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

The next morning I ran the halls of the castle swearing under my breath after oversleeping. I used my teeth to tie off a gold bracer on my left arm, and skidded around the corner of the narrow hall and nearly lost my footing as I ran. My royal purple short jacket rode up a bit as I crouched to finish lacing up my boot and I quickly tied the leather cording that held it in place. I finished adjusting the boot and continued to run through the halls and skidded to a halt short of knocking a woman over who was carrying a large stack of papers. She scowled at me in open annoyance, and I shrugged as I recovered and ran on.

Aimee let me sleep a bit longer thank I wanted, and I was impatient as she insisted on styling my hair in another elaborate bun and secured it using a dragonfly shaped comb. Loki was going to be pissed at my being late, and I crashed through a door at the end of one hall nearly knocking over a guard as I tried no to fall over myself. I used the moment to try and catch my breath, and rested against the wall as he stared, obviously annoyed at me.

"Sorry." I gasped out. "Training Yard…which way? I asked and he gave me elaborate directions to follow and I sighed at how far it was. I began running again without thanking the guard, and jumped up onto a railing to slide down it skateboard style and the smooth arches of my boots to avoid the people on the stairs, my running style became a mix of Parkour and Oh Shit as I dodged around slower people as I continued on.

Me? Weird? Nah…

Seeing the walkway I wanted approximately two floors below me through an open archway, I planned my descent and took the chance, bracing my hand against the wall as I ran across the hall toward the open window.

People must have been shocked by what they witnessed next, as I ran through the breezeway and hit a pillar and continued to use my momentum to spring back to bounce off the castle wall and landed hard on the walkway below. Rolling into my landing and absorbing the inertia of my impact as I continued. The gold shoulder guard glinted in the sunlight on my right, and I looked up at some shocked faces above me. I stood up and tested my legs. Nothing was injured, so I kept running and vaulted a railing shouting that I was late over my shoulder with a half hearted apology. If I had paid attention, I would have seen Sif and Fandral trying to get my attention from the breezeway, but I was hell bent on not being any later than I already was.

I vaulted another railing and jumped the rose bush that was in my way as I cut through the garden, possibly freaking out a couple of women as they sat on a bench talking to each other quietly in the morning sun. I then vaulted another railing and hit the stone path, catching my balance and headed directly for the stairs that took me down to the Training Yard. I then saw two men walking up the stairs toward me in full armor, and my momentum was to fast to stop without hurting someone or myself. I sped up and headed straight for them as they stared in shock, my brain formed the plan of avoiding hurting anyone as I propelled myself forward.

They took in the mad woman coming at them, and looked at me like I was an out of control Scud Missile. They both froze in panic as I hoped they would.

"Incoming!" I shouted as one of them dropped to his knee and I used his thigh and shoulder along with my momentum to jump the both of them and grabbed an archway. I swung my legs out to build more inertia to swing over to the edge of another archway. I then grabbed the side with my gloved hands, locking the arches of my feet to control my descent sliding down it to the ground.

At the bottom, I calmed my breathing and straightened my jacket and walked through the doors to the Training Yard and found it empty. Pressing my lips together, I heard two persons running down the stairs and turned to see Sif and Fandral rushing down the stairs after me and I groaned.

"We couldn't keep up, Fandral laughed leaning onto his knees to catch his breath. "Your shortcuts, while interesting, caused a bit of excitement."

Sif smiled at me and Thor and Volstagg slammed through the door, knocking Fandral into the wall painfully behind it. Sif pushed the door back quickly to help him back up and he groaned in pain as he adjusted his cloak around his shoulders.

"It would have been helpful to know you could run like that." Thor said and I rolled my eyes. "We nearly lost you when you went through the window."

"It's called Parkour, great for the stamina." I said and we all collapsed into laughter, moving to the side of the ring as two men walked by and looked at me slyly. I accepted a cup from Sif and drank some water from it and steadied myself from all the exertion.

"It is also helpful when you need to be creative when escaping someone, they can't beat you up if they can't catch you." I smirked and Loki came through the door out of breath and looked at me wide eyed.

"Did you jump through a second floor window?" He asked me shocked at what he had probably heard on his way to meet us and I doubled over as I laughed. Sif laughed as Thor gave a deep throated chuckle at Loki's response. Fandral leaned against the wall and twitched his mustache as Volstagg just stood back and looked amused.

"Maybe." I replied and smiled wide.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My lessons went roughly in the beginning, like really rough, I got frustrated and blew up a training dummy showering the ring with bits of straw and pieces of wood and cloth. The two men in the next ring jumped and stared at me as I shrugged and hung my head. Loki looked at me annoyed and I sighed as he approached me. I looked down and kicked at the loose dirt under my feet, trying not to let my failure bother me too much.

"Why is it you can make a bird or transport yourself across a room effortlessly, even jump out a window on a whim and not break both your legs, but this alludes you?" Loki said and turned his back on me and I looked sadly at Volstagg wrapped in heavy padding and sweating in his cocoon, he smiled at me and gave me a wink.

"Actually Loki." Volstagg said and Loki turned to him. "Perhaps it is a good thing she canne, I think I would be unhappy ta be blown up." The rest of the group laughed and I felt frustrated tears coming on at the open teasing.

"Knock him off his feet Little Mouse." Loki said, shooting everyone a look of annoyance. "Take control of your powers and emotions, give him a shove."

I sighed and took in a few breaths as I concentrated and let my breath out. I slowly built up the energy as instructed as Volstagg nervously closed his eyes, I felt my power build in my chest and flicked my hand out to release it and Volstagg was greeted with a light breeze.

"FUCK!" I screamed in frustration and kicked one of the buckets Loki used to mark where he wanted me to stand, and nearly started crying when I saw something shiny fly at me out of the corner of my eye. I jumped and reappeared behind Volstagg and saw a knife embedded in the wall behind where I was standing.

"Watch our tongue girl." Loki growled as I glared at him. "Useless! Pathetic! Girl!"

He spat and my fists clenched as everyone became dead quiet around us, I ducked back and hid behind Volstagg as Thor started to issue a protest on my behalf.

"You see this pathetic, stupid creature." He shouted as he pointed and glared at me. "She is not even clever enough to shine my boots! Cowering Little Mouse, please tell me, is that what you plan to do your entire life? Hide behind greater beings, or do you just plan to be a sad little creature. Lost and all alone with no one to care about you?"

He walked toward me purposely, storming toward me and swinging his arms aggressively as he approached, and I yelped out and panicked in fear of being hit.

"Look at you, everyone says you are so powerful, but all I see is a stupid, useless, and pathetic excuse for a little girl. You are an embarrassment!" He screamed and I shivered.

"Shut up! I screamed at him and extended my hand over Volstaggs shoulder knocking Loki off his feet with my power, one of his bracers went flying across our section of the Training Yard as he fell into a table and came to a rest as splinters of wood settled. Everyone looked at me and I ducked behind the padded Volstagg again as I looked over his shoulder in shock.

"I hope ya killed em." Volstagg said and I felt queasy at the idea of killing someone. Even if it was Loki.

"Loki?" Thor said as I picked up the bracer and walked over turning it over in my hands scared, and the whole group joined me as I walked forward cautiously.

"Oh please tell me I didn't kill him." I said as we all looked at him expectantly, but he lay very still among the debris. We waited on baited breath as he opened his eyes and looked up at us and groaned.

"I knew if I made you mad, you would do it." He groaned and I sighed in relief.

"Did you kill em?" Volstagg asked behind us from his spot because the padding prevented him from moving. Thor helped him stand up and I handed him the bracer nervously, he took it from me and I swallowed hard as I backed away. Retreating to a safe distance.

"Still alive, I see that, Pity." Volstagg said answering his own question and Loki shot him a look that shut him up. He straightened himself and slipped his arm back into the bracer as I leaned against the opposite wall and waited to get chewed out, my hand going to scratch at the other nervously.

He stood back as I looked up and smiled at me proudly.

"Remind me not to provoke you again, but you needed to be shown you could do the task."

"You threw a knife at me, please tell me that is not the usual way you provoke people?" I said and he crossed his arms. "Seriously, don't be a douche!"

"Use that anger in you, and try again." He said and pointed at Volstagg as he rubbed his back, wincing at the pain.

I stood across from Volstagg and he pinched his eyes shut again in nervous anticipation, I allowed the power to build in me. All my anger and frustration flowed into my center and then I swung my body around and threw my hand out and poor Volstagg was lifted off his feet and into the wall behind him.

"I did it!" I yelled and jumped and turned on Loki. "You saw it! I totally did it." I clapped my hands and jumped again, stopping when I heard Volstagg groan, I ended my celebration as I felt bad for hurting my new friend.

"On man, Volstagg, are you O.K? I asked, my excitement dropping into the dirt floor. I was rewarded with another groan and I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Shake it off man, Loki handled his hit better you big Viking Baby." I put my hands on my hips and Fandral started laughing hard at my chastisement. Loki smiled amused and raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest and started laughing to himself.

"Do it again." Loki chuckled and challenged me, pointing at Volstagg who was being stood back up right by Sif and Thor, Fandral continued laughing and holding his stomach as he doubled over. I gave Loki a little wink and a sly smile as I pointed at Fandral so only he could see it, he smiled wickedly and I went to my spot in the center of the ring as Fandral collected himself and leaned back against the railing that separated the ring from the walkway.

I waited for Thor and Sif to retreat to a safe distance, and I took in a breath and felt myself build the energy back up again.

"I prefer when Loki is in my place." Volstagg groaned and I let myself pull in a bit more energy and I turned to release it, pivoting on the ball of my foot. But at the last moment, I released it and Fandral flipped up and over the railing. Volstagg turned his head and saw Fandral on his back, I feigned shock and Thor and Sif went to check on him.

"I really wanted to mess your hair up, maybe knock your mustache off," I said laughing. "Guess I put too much attitude in it."

"She has struck me down." Fandral said and stood up gingerly. "Beauty, a fierceness few shall know, but I still fight the good fight."

He bowed to me and winked, looking a bit off balance as he tried to right himself. His curly hair flopped over his eyes and he frowned at it.

"Still flirting?" I said and rolled my eyes. I slipped one foot behind me quickly for balance, and let a flame appear in my outstretched palm, Fandral saw what was happening and ducked behind Volstagg whose eyes widened at the threat.

"I would like ta protest this." Volstagg said and I let the flame shoot out from my hand in an arc that went over Volstagg and singed the ground behind him as Fandral ran for his life. Thor and Sif laughed as I sent out a flame and it missed him again, he ducked through an arch to another part of the yard and continued running.

"Hold still geek!" I yelled and he ran across the next dirt covered arena. Volstagg watched the whole spectacle and then began shedding padding and shaking his head, he wiggled his arms free and started walking away.

"Fire is where I quit." He said and pulled off the cover from his chest. "I will not be riskin' me beard to be of help. Sweet child I wish ya luck with tha' learning, but I canne offer myself any more."

I laughed loudly and Volstagg looked at me and smiled as he joined Sif and Thor who had gone to catch Fandral.

"I look forward ta seein ye on the field of battle. And I hope ye are on our side Lady." He added as his weathered face crinkled in amusement.

"Good luck catching the Lady Killer guys. I think he is on another planet by now." I said as everyone left, I walked over and picked up some of the padding and started returning it to the cubby we got it from.

"You are beginning to impressively master your gifts." Loki said and I cut him off by slapping him across the face. My palm stung from the contact, and he looked at me and frowned. I picked up the last of the padding and put it up with a huff and shoved it back into the shelf.

"For throwing a knife at me." I said and he rolled his eyes and I felt some satisfaction when I saw the red hand print on his pale cheek.

"Understandable," He said and poured himself a cup of water from a pitcher nearby and walked over to the railing.

"As I was saying, you are gaining more control , but you must control your emotions and the power at the same time." He said and moved to a bench where he sat down.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked him taking a breath and trying to be Zen, he smiled and patted the bench next to him and I reluctantly sat down. But put more distance between us as I settled.

"You carry around a lot of hurt and anger; it can affect how you wield your powers. It is evident in how you carry yourself, and how you react to others around you." He said and I tried to outwardly blow him off, but he was right.

"Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black." I said and he looked at me. "And for the sake of argument, so what. Ninety percent of my life has been one shitty situation after another, at least I didn't take it out on everyone who didn't deserve it."

His nostrils flared and I scooted out of striking distance quickly, he stood up and began walking at me as I jumped up and cornered myself as he slammed a hand into the wall over my head. I cringed away, and covered my face with my hands to protect it on instinct as a thousand bad memories flooded back. He looked down at me with intense eyes. Studying my reaction, and I shook a bit and looked up at him. I was trying not to let my fear show, but it burst through in all its glory. I looked at him and cringed into the wall behind me, trying to melt through it and wishing Thor or Sif had not left.

He moved away suddenly, and I relaxed letting out the breath I had been holding, letting the muscles in my stomach relax. I was shaking as I wrapped my arms around myself.

"Fear like that is learned." He said and he relaxed as I leaned back on the wall, wiping my sweaty palms on my coat. We stayed quiet for a long time, and I sighed to clear the bad memories from my head.

"You are bigger than me," I said and I sighed again and thought of a way to change the subject. "So you want me to be more Zen, find my center and all that."

He turned and raised his eyebrows at me, and I walked back to the bench and sat down, putting a comfortable distance between us.

"Create something, anything and show it to me." He said and I made a large tarantula appear in my hand, he looked at it as it crawled with hairy legs up my arm, and I carefully scooped it up in my other hand, cradling the creature that others found frightening.

"I am getting a lot better at this, I may have practiced for a bit last night." I said and let the large spider crawl over the back of my hand, he looked at me and I offered it to him. He looked at the creature but did not reach out, he just watched as I changed the shape in to a boa constrictor and its tail wrapped around my arm as I ran the tips of my fingers down its cold body. I then made it disappear, and leaned back against the wall behind us and looked out at the yard.

"Biggest I can do is a dog though." I said and sighed.

"Knock the buckets over now that you have calmed." He challenged me and I flicked my power out and both buckets tipped over easily, he smiled impressed at me and I yawned behind my hand. He put his hand on my knee, and I cringed away from the touch, he removed his hand from my leather covered knee.

"It was a little too familiar for me." I said and relaxed back again, feeling tired and wanting to sink into a hot bath.

"My apologies." He said and turned his body on the bench to face me. "You have done much today, perhaps you should rest and study more of the book I gave to you."

"Yeah," I said but did not move. I debated a question on my mind, remembering his reaction to my previous outburst. So I just sat quietly and watched as he rubbed his palms together, the clang of steel in the background was the only sound. I leaned forward and pressed my lips together.

"Something on your mind Little Mouse?" He asked me finally and I nervously licked my lips and took in a breath.

"Why did you do it?" I asked him, blurting it out and he closed his eyes knowing exactly what I referred to. He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up at the two men in the adjoining yard, he looked back at me.

"I want to be a King." He said looking me in the eye and I saw the hesitation cross his face before he answered, betraying the lie.

"You are lying." I said, and he stood up quickly in shock and glared down at me, I cringed back preparing for him to rage at me. I put my arm up instinctively and shook a bit in fear, he saw my reaction and calmed a bit as he paced for a second.

"Some things I do not want to talk about with you, you are a foolish girl to try to walk some roads without being invited, and I owe you nothing." He spat at me and began to walk away and I relaxed, I looked out at the yard and calmed the wild animal in my chest that was trying to escape. I saw his shoulders relax as he stopped, and I backed up again against the wall on instinct alone.

"Sorry." I said with a shaky voice. "I didn't mean to push, keep it to yourself." He looked at me and sighed sadly as I stood up and looked down at my feet.

"There are things I never wish to discuss with anyone." He said and turned to leave again. "You wouldn't understand them, and they are quite unpleasant."

I watched him cautiously, hoping that he would just leave and I could go find somewhere to hide and I looked down at my feet and nodded.

"Do you let these things define you? Or do you just build a wall around them and let them become a toxic sludge for your soul?" I pressed gently as he began walking away, pausing briefly as he entered the archway and I closed my mouth suddenly and backed up again and looked at his back.

"Be here tomorrow morning, and make an effort to not jump out of any windows on the way here. I have no desire to report that you have broken an arm or a leg, or spilled your brain onto the ground for that matter." He said over his shoulder and disappeared through the archway.

I stood shaking for a few moments when two men in armor walked through the door and looked at me, a thousand bad nights and memories flooding through my head involuntarily as I clenched a fist and tried to focus on my breathing. My body trembled a bit as memories of closed fists and my cries for help echoed through my head, I took in one deep breath after another and closed my eyes silently.

"Are you well Maiden?" One of the men asked me politely, and I smiled at him with his brown hair and blue eyes.

"Yes, just a few ghosts that haunt me coming back." I said and left the Training Yard quietly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Troubled, Loki walked the halls and back to his chambers.

The girl had pressed too far for his comfort and he hoped he would never have to answer any of her questions. He wished to never have to answer for his actions and explain them or the darkness that caused them all, they were his memories and he guarded them closely out of fear of being seen as weak. In the back of his mind, a scream following the sound of pain being administered to flesh ripped through his head. He pushed the echo of the past aside quickly and turned his thoughts to her reaction at his anger.

The way she automatically cowered like a whipped dog from him, her arms up to protect herself. There was more to her reaction than just self preservation, that was a physical reaction to someone who intimately knew pain, suffering, and genuine fear. The reaction someone who had looked into darkness over and over again and respected as well as feared the pain that came with it, someone who was intimate with brutality and would cower away from it every chance they could.

He knew however, that she would still press for her answers and now had a key to silence her. Approach her aggressively and she would back away. In order to be kind and to keep his secrets, he would have to be cruel.

He sat back in the high backed chair near his desk and looked at the empty wall across from him and thought about her question, his hand idly toying with the purple stone as he thought about what to do further should she keep wanting her curiosity satisfied and should further threat of cruelty stop working. It eventually would too, she would become conditioned to his reactions and learn that he would not strike her. Frustrated, he could not come up with a clever lie for her, and imagined himself being overly cruel to her to silence her and it bothered a part of him to think that way.

A sudden knock at the door jerked him out of his thoughts and he looked up at the door opened and mentally growled.

"Yes, what is it boy." He said, not hiding his annoyance at the intrusion as the Page cautiously entered the room. His lack of courtesy and a bow irritated him further and his hand curled around the stone tightly.

"My King requests your presence; he wishes a report on the Lady Lilliana Rose immediately." The boy said and backed out the door nervously, Loki sighed and rolled the stone a bit.

"Gods teeth." Loki grumbled as her released the stone and pushed up from the chair, the Paige looked at him in confusion at his reaction. Had the boy seen something cross his face at the mention of her name?

"That vexing girl, not even full power and everyone worships at her little feet. They should make her Queen and then she can have Asgard as a glorious toy to amuse herself, her empty little head can smile and be pretty all she wishes then." He said and smoothed his clothes, changing them to something more casual but formal enough to go before Odin.

The boy moved to the side to allow Loki to pass, but he still gave him a shove as he walked past and down the hall.

"Close the door boy." He said over his shoulder as he turned the corner and walked purposefully toward the throne room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I read in my room alone after eating from a tray of food Aimee had left out for my return.

The book mostly covered calming oneself and finding balance and harmony between thoughts and emotions. It was vaguely Shintoist in the teachings with some Buddhism thrown in for good measure, and I was reading a passage of the warrior and the bond between the self and the weapon, comparing it mentally to the Japanese art of Kendo. The belief of the sword having a soul in it, and the person who uses the sword is just an extension of the Katana. I sat back and thought about the smooth movements of the two men I had once watched spar on the streets of Seattle in a demonstration in front of Uwajamaya during a celebration for the Moon Festival. Their grace and control made the entire staged fight seem like a dance, as they turned and moved about each other as two bodies in a beautiful and terrible spectacle. I remembered the graceful Katana, and smiled when one of them let me hold one, remembering how light it was in my hand, curiously so, for something do deadly.

The man had taken a piece of cloth as I held the blade facing up and he and dropped it over the edge, I smiled amazed at how it effortlessly cut the cotton in half and the two halves fell to the floor no sign of mar on the finish of the shining steel. He showed me a few basic moves, and told me of books about the respect of nature and the balance of warrior and soul that one must achieve before becoming an effective Samurai. I remembered sitting in the library and reading them as I curled in an overstuffed chair and finding so many more interesting texts on various belief systems.

My grandmother would have been appalled if she were alive to see me now, she would have made me be more of a lady and probably have gone Super Japanese Grandmother on me. Probably chasing me around with a switch of some kind for not being respectful.

Bored, I set the book aside and decided to go for a walk. It was my first time alone in Asgard, and it would probably be my only chance to explore on my own and I was not going to waste it in my room.

I unplugged my phone from the portable charger and put my ear buds in, checking the black power inverter to see how much more charge it had and found it had four more uses before it would be completely shot and needed to be plugged in before another use itself. I turned the screen on and scrolled through the selections, and chose Florence and the Machine before darkening the screen and tucking it in the waistband of my pants and pulling the short jacket over it to keep it safe.

"Jumping out of windows." I whispered and snorted as I opened the door and peeked around it for Fandral, but did not see anyone outside. I turned and headed for the center of the castle and the master staircase that lead out to the courtyard.

"Throw another knife at me and I'll throw you out a window." I grumbled as I walked the hall alone. Fuming to myself as I walked and trying to relax more as I moved. I didn't want to run into Loki either, the jerk probably would order me locked in my room or something.

I got turned around a few times, but eventually found the courtyard and the Guards watched me as I walked past them alone singing Breath of Life as I walked on, turning on my heel and balancing on the edge of a water fountain before hopping down and looking around me. I then turned to one of the armored men and pulled my ear buds out and smiled at him like a pretty little girl, turning up the charm as I bit my lip in a flirt.

Yeah, I know. But really, I was trying to catch more flies with honey, you know that great shit?

I was internally proud of myself when he looked down at me and I smiled a bit wider, I folded my hands in front of my chest.

"You are really tall." I said and I bit my lip and bounced in the balls of my feet. "I don't mean to bother you, but I want to go for a nice walk Sir, is there anything you think I may like?"

He made as if he was ignoring me and looked over my head and I turned thinking I had failed and pouted a bit as I stood in front of him. He took a deep breath and I looked up at him, and his face was in thought. I then put on extra sugar and let my face look pouty, and looked down.

"Sorry to bother you." I said and took a step back.

"If you walk the road to the right, you will find the Market and the City Center, if you choose to walk the flagstone footpath to the left you will find the palace gardens. All the young maidens like to walk there as they are lovely. The road to the center leads to the Bifrost and is off limits unless you have permission from the Allfather, so you should avoid it." He smiled down at me and I returned it softly, stepping up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek and bumped my nose on his helmet and giggled a bit as I rubbed it.

I could have skipped the kiss, but I wanted him distracted, and if he was anything like Fandral, he would be good and distracted.

"Thank you," I said and put my ear buds back in my ears and walked off and waved as I turned right pretending to not be able to hear them as they teased the guard about my kiss. I heard him try to convince them that he was the actual lucky one for getting the affection and I took my chance, I bolted through the trees and continued quietly down the center road.

I never was one to follow rules, and from my hiding spot behind a tree I glanced back and saw that I was not seen. I started the music again and continued on my way and randomly stopped to smell a bush overfull with Jasmine flowers and Picked some and made a crown of them using the stems, weaving in some fragrant lavender and put it up on the top of my head and admired myself in a pool of water.

I continued walking and danced a bit as I walked, and studied some of the statues that lined the road as I walked. I turned on the balls of my feet and threw my arms out as I sang along with the music in my ears, a strange echo carrying my voice back to me from beyond the gates that opened on a bridge over the water and saw the sparkling of a multitude of stars against velvet night that surrounded the domed structure I had arrived in.

I looked down at the shimmering bridge and wondered if it would hurt me to walk on it, but remembered the horses. Even so, I still took the crown of flowers off my head and dropped it carefully onto the bridge deck and nothing happened. I then put my hand flat on it, finding it was smooth as glass and watched as the shimmering energy pulsed around my hand I then put my foot out and took a leap of faith as I stood on the bridge. I picked up my flowers and walked on down the bridge to the end of the line.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Would you say her progress is satisfactory?" Odin inquired as he paced before Loki, Thor standing by and possibly waiting for him to flinch or some other form of betrayal toward the Allfather, also watching the exchange with interest.

"Her progress is actually a bit more advanced given one day of proper instruction." Loki replied coolly with his hands behind his back as he tried to hide his irritation at the question. He glanced over at Thor who was strangely stoic and wondered what the oaf had told Odin about the day. He glared at the future King and took in a breath through is nose. Keeping his guarded exterior up, hiding his emotions in a way that only careful practice over the years gave him.

"Good." Odin replied and nodded his approval. "And you are not overly cruel to the girl are you?" He turned and faced Loki, he allowed his face to betray nothing but looked at Thor and seethed in anger.

"No." Loki sighed and shook his head. "She does need further guidance however, to control her emotions. Nonetheless, I find her quite gifted and able to reason, her mind is rather interesting in that respect."

"Continue." Odin said sharply, a look of general surprise on his old face at the compliment given toward the girl.

"She is observant in intelligent," Loki said. "The Li…..Lady Lilliana Rose desires to excel at all things, and it is helpful that she can read the old language, perhaps some guidance from Sif in swordplay and combat will help her to release some of her frustrations and calm her further in that respect. If only help her focus more, her natural energies and short temper will get her into dangerous situations should she not have an outlet."

"Interesting." Odin said. "I did hear of her display this morning, it caused quite a stir and I agree with you. Lilliana Rose possesses an untamed heart and a willful nature, not overly bad traits to have within the young, but it does lead them to arrogance and trouble." Odin said and he looked at Thor, and Loki grinned internally.

Thor nodded his agreement and Odin thought for a moment before continuing.

"Have Lady Sif give her some guidance in swordplay." He said to Thor and turned to Loki.

"I will advise you both to not leave her unattended until she learns of our ways, she is still a stranger here and she has a nature that may be strange to all of Asgard, as you are aware." Odin said addressing them both. "Nurture her inquisitive mind, and allow her some mistakes with patience, from the assessment you have both given me I believe you two may do well with listening to her when she speaks."

Loki thought of her then, the way she explored the night sky with open curiosity and how earnest she was to explore the ruins for any hidden knowledge she could find. She did not show an outward care for the material, but a true lust for the experience of discovery. There was something more to it, he appreciated her hunger to collect knowledge and smiled at the places he could show her to guide her on her quest.

"She does have an interest in the sciences." Loki said and Odin nodded at the revelation.

"I could gather that from what I was told about her from Lady Sif, her desire to teach Sif of the stars and the galaxy." Odin sighed sadly. "She reminds me of Frigga in her quest to understand all the workings of the Nine Realms."

Loki felt a pain at hearing the name of the woman who raised him, and despite his flaws and sins loved him as a son. No matter what shortcomings in the eyes of Odin he carried, Frigga was there with encouragement and as a true mother who nurtured him and respected him. He regretted his final words to her and carried bitterness toward himself and his pride for being so cruel to her in her final days.

He remembered when he was brought back to Asgard in chains, unable because of his pride to reveal the truth about what has poisoned his mind, and it was a greater torture to see her there as judgment was passed on him. He did not care how he had disappointed Odin, the old man could rot for all he cared, but to see the sadness and fear for him on her face was a knife in his soul.

"She is beautiful." Odin mused, pulling him away from his thoughts and looked at Thor who nodded in agreement, and looked down. "She will be talked of for a long time, and have many who wish to be near her."

"Beauty is fragile armor," Loki said, further shaking off his thoughts. "Porcelain thin and easily broken, leaving the bearer in great peril."

"Agreed." Thor said. "We must continue to instruct her in her own defenses, and hope that she can protect herself in our absence."

Loki agreed internally with Thor on that matter, but did not allow it to show externally. Odin turned and regarded the council, thinking deep he nodded his agreement.

"In five days, bring me another report of her progress. I do not know what will happen to creation should she fall…." Odin's thoughts ended abruptly and he closed his eyes to listen to a ghost of a voice, irritation crossing his face.

"Lady Lilliana is at the Bifrost, Heimdall has reported it to me directly. May I suggest you collect her before she gets it into her head to leave Asgard?" Odin said and dismissed them both.

Loki felt irritation at having to collect the girl, but he also cursed himself on failing to instruct the girl on the dangers of exploring alone. He could not have predicted that she would leave her rooms this evening, but it was still his fault for underestimating her nature. Thor opened the doors to the chamber, and was greeted by Volstagg and Loki held them to address Odin.

"Have Heimdall indulge her curiosity, but tell him to not allow her to leave Asgard." Loki said and turned to leave. "She may be out there to indulge her curious nature and nothing more."

"Let us hope you are right." Odin said as Loki walked through the door and the three men began running toward the Bifrost.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

I entered the domed structure quietly and saw the same dark skinned man from when I first arrived a few days ago, Heimdall had his back to me and did not indicate that he noticed me as I slipped quietly through the door and edged along the far wall. I kept my back against it as I moved, trying to be silent. He was focused on a window that was empty and stood quietly, a strange patience surrounding him as he watched the nothing in the window beyond. I kept my back to the wall, and slowly slipped around the room, he was taller than me which gave me no surprise. Everyone was taller than me here.

He reminded me of a passage in a book that I once read, about a man who was the sentinel of heaven, charged to observe the world and learn what he could from humanity in order to appreciate God's creation. The sentinel watched the passing of time, and reported every day what he saw, slowly falling in love with the lives spread out before him. The last thing he did as he watched the world end was shed a tear for the lost potential of humanity, and how we caused our own destruction through our arrogance and hatred.

I tried to stretch myself to see what he could be looking at in the empty window, but he continued to look out into the vast nothingness with his frame blocking the view.

"You should not be out here Lilliana Rose." He said in a deep, but warm voice startling me and causing me to jump a bit and loose my balance, and I tumbled to the floor landing on my elbow painfully.

"What are you looking at?" I asked him ignoring his chastisement and tried again to see through the window as I stood back up. He motioned me over with a slight jerk of his head and I took a deep breath and joined him, I rubbed my elbow as I walked over and he frowned at my injury.

"I see a billion souls across the Nine Realms and beyond. I see the birth and death of stars, and the rise and fall of monarchs. Whole empires come an go under my watch, I see everything." He said, turning his amber eyes down on me and smiling warmly.

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair." I said and he took in a breath.

"Ozymandias by Shelley." He said to me, not hiding how impressed he was.

"I could see that you read much in Midguard."

I blushed at his response, and I looked down at my feet and looked back up at him to see him looking back out the window again, and I turned to face it with him.

"I am impressed you know that work." I smiled and he stared forward, his eyes focused out the window.

"I see everything, Lady."

"Do any of these events you see matter?" I asked him gently looking up at his dark face as he smiled back down at me. He took one hand off the hilt of his sword and put it on the shoulder guard that protected my right arm.

"I saw your soul, and it was truly the brightest of them all, others around you were mere sparks compared to the inferno the raged inside you." He said gently and motioned for me to sit on the steps to the raised platform that activated the Bifrost.

"Flattering," I said, "But I was asking for more there. Is there anything that happens, that is more important than the rest?"

I sat next to him on the steps and he removed his helmet, letting several dreadlocks fall down his back, and he smiled at me. He motioned toward the window, and I looked forward with him and tried to see what he saw, but the picture remained painfully empty.

"It all is meaningful, even the small actions that seem unimportant." He replied and I smiled back at him. He waved his hand over the window to show a nebula that shone with an inner singularity, tendrils of green, orange, and red stretched out into the space around it as the Universe continued it's Cosmic Dance. I studied it with him and smiled as the stars twinkled around it.

"Beautiful." I said. "Almost hard to believe that everything, even our bodies are made of the same stuff that make up that Nebula. Star stuff."

He looked at me and leaned back a bit. I smiled and pointed to the Nebula he brought up in the window to the galaxy. He turned his head and looked at it with me as I took in a breath and smiled.

"Think about it, it is all true." I said. "The nitrogen atoms that bind our DNA, the calcium in out teeth, the iron in our blood, even the carbon in the metal of your armor. All those elements that we depend on for life were thrown out into the cosmos by a star as it collapses and becomes a black hole. Even death has meaning if you look at it at that scale, the celestial bodies create life anew as they die."

"It makes you wonder if you will create life if you ever die." He said and I gave him a crooked smile and nodded.

"My mom died creating me," I said and sighed. "Why should I be any different?" He thought it over for a moment and changed the view we looked at. This time he brought up the rings of Saturn, quietly revolving, filled with dust and rock, the Shepherd Moons of the planet creating the gravity that guided their flock.

"I believe your purpose is far greater Lady, and the conditions of your birth may have been happenstance, a terrible coincidence to create a being that was needed to be." He said at I watched A large mass drift past the window in the silence.

"It must give you a lot of time to think out here." I said, trying to change the subject and he leaned his sword against his knee.

"It does, and allows even more time to create my own opinions. Do you want to know of a particular Mortal?" I looked at him and thought about Teeney back in Seattle and felt homesick and worried about her at the same time.

"Would you tell me if I asked?" He gave me a knowing smile and closed his eyes and concentrated as I watched him closely.

"She is happy, and is going to live with a family who will care for her." He said and my mouth fell open in surprise.

"Shut the front door! Teeney got adopted?" I said and I smiled wide for her, and I let a tear fall as I thought about how she was going to be all right, how someone gambled on her and she won.

"You just made my whole life." I said to him and hugged Heimdall happily and he laughed a bit when one of my bracers got caught on the edge of his armor.

"It is my pleasure to ease your mind." He said as I disengaged myself from him.

"Thank you for telling me something good, I needed that after spending most of the day with Captain Intense." I said composing myself and he changed the window to show a green and purple nebula.

"You no longer have to worry for your mortal friend." He said as I unplugged my headphones and hit play on Death Cab for Cutie and Grapevine Fires started up and we listened quietly.

"Teeney's favorite song, I could never tell her it was about trying to find hope in a hopeless situation." I explained to him as he looked down at the phone in my hand.

"I see." He said, and I had a feeling that he understood me perfectly and I didn't have to explain myself to him at all.

I looked at the Nebula again and sighed as he changed the window to a solar system with beautiful planets lined up like beads on a string.

"It is so hard to believe all this is out there, and someday I am going to see it all." I said and he looked down at me as I leaned back on my elbows.

"You will leave us?" He asked me tersely, a frown creasing his face.

"Itchy feet." I said and clicked the heels of my boots together. "Combine that with a restless soul, and you have me. My life will never end, what would you do with eternity?"

I asked him and he looked at me thinking about it patiently.

"May I suggest you spend it with the other immortal in Asgard?" And I looked at him and frowned in thought.

"Fandral? Oh hell no!" He is awful, and far from my type, and don't start thinking I am into girls. I am proudly Asexual." I said, Heimdall laughed and regarded me with amusement and leaned close.

"Jotun and Asgardian DNA joined do create an immortal hybrid."

"I understood about two words of that, but are you going to tell me who?" I asked him, leaning in and grinning, he smiled back at me conspiratorially.

"I betray no secrets, and I promise to keep yours. However, It was my bound duty to tell the Allfather you are here, I have also taken the liberty of telling him you are not seeking escape just conversation." He stood up and put his helmet back on and helped me stand up by offering his hand, I did forgive him silently.

"How long before the party arrives?" I asked and sighed while holding his sword as he adjusted his deadlocks under his helmet.

"A few short moments, but I did enjoy your brief company." I smiled up at him and was glad to have someone to talk to I didn't have to explain everything I said to.

"Want me to visit again, we can watch the Universe and talk about nothing and everything." I said to him and his amber eyes smiled down at me as I handed him his sword, and he took it carefully from me. His hand fell onto my shoulder, and I smiled up at him as he studied me for a moment.

"I would like that." He said and patted me with the hand on my shoulder. "You have a quiet wisdom, it will be good to hear what more you have to say."

"Thanks." I said and hugged him again quickly. "Thanks for seeing more than my faults, and for finding me. It makes me feel so much less lonely out here."

He returned the hug and pushed me back gently as I wiped a tear away.

"They are arriving, one may become jealous you offer me affections." I laughed and nodded and took a quick breath in to collect myself.

"Thanks Starstuff." I said and he smiled at the nickname I gave him.

I heard Thor first, and turned to see Volstagg and Loki following him through the door, and smiled at them, but decided against it when I saw the look on Thor's face, and instinct took over and I looked down at my feet.

"You should….." He started and my inner bitch crawled up my throat, and out of me.

"Not be here. Yeah, I get it. Heimdall said the same thing when I showed up." I said and walked around the platform to meet with the group and rolled my eyes. I let out a sigh, and looked over at Volstagg who was suddenly concerned about me.

"Then what were you doing out here?" He challenged me angrily, and I took a step back from Thor and put my hands up.

"Whoa, Pikachu, ease off the clutch and chill out a bit." I said then and tried to stay as relaxed as I could. "I got bored and went for a walk. I talked with Heimdall and nothing more. Do you see any chaos? Is anything on fire? You are making an arrogant assumption about me over absolutely nothing."

I backed away as he took another step forward and suddenly felt super small in his shadow, and memories from my childhood surfaced again violently. I shivered and tried to push them back behind the wall, locking them into their respective cages.

"Mind your tongue girl, I warn you." Thor said, pointing a finger at me to drive his point home. And I got angry as hell at him threatening me, I planted my feet and refused to take another step back in our version of David and Goliath.

"Or what?" I snapped out at him and Loki looked at me wide eyed, his face filled with concern. Volstagg's eyes widened at my defiance and I crossed my arms.

"You think you can really fucking threaten me? I have survived some pretty nasty stuff, and I came through it fine. I was doing nothing out here but talking to another person and it was nice. God, grow the hell up!" I said and Thor took another step toward me and I could see him getting angrier by the minute.

"Back off, Syd Vicious!" I warned and he still advanced on me.

"I jutted my chin out at him and he clenched his fists. "You don't scare me, I am a hurricane!" I screamed and I saw Loki step forward to stop the fight before it escalated, but it was too late.

"You do not speak to me in that way." Thor said and I rolled my eyes.

"I am not a prisoner, and I will not be treated like one. You heard Odin, and you heard him loud and clear. I am not property!" I screamed the last word at him, and he took a step back from me, and I looked at him angrily.

"Do not come out here again." He warned and relaxed his hands.

"I don't know which is worse, A King who threatens his people into subjugation, or a prince who thinks he can keep everyone wrapped around his finger." I said and tension built between his shoulders but his hands stayed completely relaxed. I thought I had won when he moved suddenly, and with a terrible speed.

For a guy his size he moved fast, and he had me by the collar of my jacket and I was slammed against the wall off my feet. My head banged against the wall and I saw stars, I instinctively grabbed his wrist as I gritted my teeth. Shaking my head as gray spots clouded my vision, I opened my eyes and looked into Thor's. His hand arced back in slow motion and I closed my eyes and relaxed everything when the slap came, and I screamed at the pain that rocked my head to the side.

My cheek felt on fire as I tasted blood from a split on my lip, and three sets of hands wrapped around his shoulders as he prepared for another punch, three grown men worked to pull him off of me and I made eye contact as a drop of blood from my lip hit his hand. Everything went into slow motion as his hand tightened on the collar of my jacket and I gasped for air. Loki grabbed the arm that held me off the ground, and I felt a tear trace down my hot cheek as he looked at me.

"You are not the first man to beat me up, but you will be the last." I said and his anger suddenly left him as fast as it came on and all three men stopped and looked into my eyes, the only sound that filled the room was the sound of our breathing. Realizing what he had done he dropped me into a heap on the floor and I sank to my butt with my back to the wall, staying very still I threw my arms up over my head as he bent to help me up. Thor backed away from me, and I got my feet back under me as I wiped the trickle of blood off my chin and I winced in pain as Loki came up to me.

"I'm fine," I said and stood up, pushing him away as I edged out of the room slowly with my back to the wall. My hands out like a barrier, as if I could keep them all back. I walked out the entrance of the Bifrost and put a hand on the door frame to brace myself as I looked at the bridge, the room behind me became dead quiet and I took in a breath.

"Heimdall, I almost forgot something." He nodded quietly at me as I turned, Thor visibly wincing at the cut on my lip that was already healing.

"You see everything out there, on behalf of Humanity in general, sorry about the Twilight Saga." I stepped out onto the bridge and walked back to the castle and my room quietly.

"Lady Lilliana…." I heard Thor say and I kept walking into the silence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What was that?" Loki angrily said to Thor as Volstagg and Heimdall looked on, he searched his brother's face for anything resembling an answer and found nothing. He turned and looked at the shrinking figure of the small woman walking away in the distance and back to Thor. Volstagg looked at the both of them and let out a tense breath, Loki turned back to rage at him further for what had just transpired out there.

"You could have hurt her horribly, or worse! You see how small she is compared to you. She trusted you, and you did this? Striking a woman is the lowest thing any man can do, and even, with all I have done….I am not that low of a man." Loki said and Thor glared at him quietly and looked at the drop of red blood on his hand and wiped it away onto his pants, hiding his shame.

"Does the Allfather know of this?" Volstagg asked Heimdall and he nodded to confirm that he had reported Thor's actions to Odin, per his duties to his King.

"She was scared...but she did not flinch away" Thor said and started back for the castle alone leaving the three of them standing in the room, and Loki turned to Heimdall.

"Did she ask you to send her anywhere in the Nine Realms?" Loki asked him quickly, and hoped against hope he would say no.

"She did not ask to leave Asgard. She inquired about a Mortal, and she and I talked plainly of things that captured her interest. She is quite clever." Loki felt relief flood through him at the revelation given, and Volstagg looked at them both.

"I thought she would wish to just speak, I needed it confirmed." Loki said and he wanted to ask what they spoke of, and Heimdall spoke again.

"Her mind is vast, and her thoughts are beautiful. She has a silent philosophy that is her pillar and she has the strength of her convictions to stand behind them. I told the Allfather of this." Loki smiled at what Heimdall saw in her, and agreed quietly at his opinion.

"I had better go catch up ta Thor," Volstagg said in the silent room. "What do ya think Thor meant when he said she dinnae flinch?" He asked before leaving and looked troubled.

"The Little Mouse is used to people being unkind." Loki replied to Volstagg, and the red bearded man gave his beard a tug and frowned to himself.

"I would strike the hand from the man who has caused her ta understand sufferin'." Volstagg said angrily. "Ya are right Loki, no man should harm a woman in that manner."

Loki nodded his agreement, and looked at Volstagg quickly before returning to Heimdall, and took in a breath. He wanted to see what Odin would say to Thor for a moment, but he knew that the frail creature that had left was left vulnerable.

"If she returns, and I believe she will, inform me first and indulge her questions. I will deal with her, and we can avoid her angering Thor." Heimdall agreed silently as he turned to leave.

"Where are ya going?" Volstagg asked at Loki reached the door quietly.

"I need to find Sif. Should you see her, explain the situation and tell her that I need her at Lilliana's chambers. This situation needs delicacy, and I need to know the extent of the damage Thor did to her. Having another woman, no matter the occupation will put Little Mouse's mind at ease, she is frightened and not in a good condition. Should I enter her chambers alone she will corner herself and it could end in calamity." Volstagg nodded as the two men left and hurried back down the bridge, leaving the watcher to return to his duties and to ponder all that he had just witnessed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I lay in the fading light on the bed in my room, the heels of my boots thumping against the bed frame in time with the beat through my headphones as I stared at the ceiling, trying desperately not to throw a pity party and failing miserably at it. I wanted to be far away again, and now I was probably going to have the King of Asgard slam my door open at any minute for provoking Thor into smacking me around. What do you say to that? Admit you are an idiot sometimes, and that you don't know when to keep your mouth shut? Or do you just keep your idiotic mouth shut and take your chewing out?

I sighed at the filigree that decorated the stonework on the ceiling, and tried not to cry. Some aches just rip deeper into you than others, and this one was killing me.

Growing tired of being depressed, I put my hand out above my head and made a small dragon. I turned up the music a bit and let a long, Japanese styled one form above me. Thinking about the ones that decorated light posts outside the international district in Seattle, and the shining purple wyrm glided easily through the air on impossible wings. I climbed off the bed and made a second one in green as the base dropped on the Skrillex song I was listening to. I gave them both fire and allowed them to both wrap around my thin arms as I put them out and I reached over and petted one gently.

Using my power, I manipulated the phone and skipped the next song and then made the dragons fly through the air around the room, lighting the candles in the sconces on the wall. Watching them glide gracefully through the air, and wanting to join them as I smiled at them as one flew past my shoulder, turning and moving through the air as I held my hand up to caress its belly as it passed. The other edged around my neck and rested on my shoulders and I scratched it's chin as it lifted away from me again to join its twin.

It was then that I noticed something new about myself, if I focused enough I could force time to move forward or backwards at will.

At first, I thought I had made a mistake when I saw a dragon take its fire back from one of the candles, but I watched it carefully and noticed that it was everything moving backwards thanks to the shadows of the breeze through the trees outside my windows. The leaves shuddered backwards, and then moved forward, and I focused a bit more and I watched everything reverse and them move forward around me.

"Fucking cool." I said and focused back and allowed myself to fall further and further back in time. The castle around me vanished large stone by stone, and the marble floor beneath me slowly deconstructed, leaving me standing over a vast field, old growth forest appearing around me suddenly and then shrinking away to seeds carried on the wind. I focused harder and the ground beneath me turned into mist and vapor and Asgard was taken back to its primordial beginnings.

Molten rock gave way, and it reversed into a cyclone of cosmic gasses, rock, and dust as the long arms of the spiral vanished back into space as the singularity became the last point of gravity in the darkness I drifted in. I floated there ,in the darkness of cosmic dance and felt strangely at peace. I looked at the stars that created the velvet night around me, and the singularity floated before me bright and twinkling.

I then focused my mind and watched as Epochs unfolded in front of me in a heartbeat, bringing me back to my room and my feet touched the marble floor quietly as the dragons finished and I smiled and made them vanish.

Time became my plaything in that small moment, so I allowed my mind to drift back again and I took myself back to the creation of the land and watched as Asgard formed from cosmic dust and vapor that swirled in a storm of energy and then light opened itself in front of me. It was so achingly beautiful to see creation happen in front of me, and I threw myself forward again to watch life form from bacteria and the first beings using their primitive tools. I found it easier to control the flow of time and I pushed forward to see large stones move back into place as people built the castle around me. I watched a beautiful blonde woman walk through me as I floated slightly, leading two boys by the hand, the dark haired one turning his face to me and I smiled recognizing both of the boys.

I reached out my hand and he looked back at something I couldn't see, my ghost like hand reaching out for his chin as I pushed forward and he vanished, and I flew forward back into my room and my time and allowed myself to touch the floor again and took a breath slowly. I smiled to myself and debated telling Loki what I discovered, and eventually decided that I could use some further insight into how this could benefit me in the long run. I was smart, but sometimes you just needed a second opinion to fully grasp some things.

The base pumped into my ears and I changed the song for something mellower as I used a small burst of energy to blow out a candle, and then concentrated on it and relit it. I then turned and walked out onto the balcony and into the fading light and leaned against the railing to think for a bit over all that I discovered today.

I smiled to myself as a breeze carried the scent of jasmine past me, and I closed my eyes to take in a breath and thought about the control I had over my gifts, the garden stretched out below me as Fire Sprites appeared twinkling among the flowers and I put my fingers out and let one them land briefly on my hand and then flutter away. I watched it spiral around a sprig of lilac, and rejoin its group and smiled to myself again.

I was so lost in the music and in my own meandering thoughts, that I nearly jumped the railing and out of my skin at the same time when a hand connected with my left shoulder. I yelped and swung around and my heart hammered out of my chest, coming face to face with Sif. I pulled the headphones out of my ears and took a few breaths using her arm to steady myself, and saw Loki over her shoulder raising an eyebrow at me.

"Holy shitcakes Sif! You gave me a minor heart attack." I said and laughed as I put my hand to my stomach, focusing on my breathing.

"We knocked, you didn't answer." She said and I continued to calm back down, and walked past Loki and over to a seat, turning off the phone completely to save the battery as I walked. I sat it down on a table next to a chaise and relaxed for a bit as I sat down on it and leaned back into the cushions.

"I kind of wanted to be left alone." I said and looked at Loki, "Usually people want privacy when they don't answer doors."

I groaned and crossed my arms and ankles as I relaxed more.

"Loki told me what happened, and I came to check on you. We were concerned." She said and looked at me obviously upset.

"About what?" I said and shrugged while looking at them both, trying to hide that I was freaking out. No one usually cared about me after I got my ass kicked.

"I pushed him too far, opened my mouth and got my clock cleaned in the process. I was sort of asking for it. Besides, I can take a punch, everyone here needs to calm down and eat some fruit, do some Yoga or something." I said and looked to Loki for some help, but he offered none.

Yeah, I suck at being smooth and cool.

"Thor does feel bad about his actions, and he would be here himself but the Allfather is…..discussing his actions with him. And no man should raise his hand to a woman, no matter how vexing the woman becomes." Sif sat down on the chaise near my feet and I moved them over for her.

"Great. Chaos, mayhem, disorder, well my work here is done. For my next trick, I plan on having a moment Spontaneous Human Combustion just a heads up." I joked, but no one laughed, instead Sif put her hand on my knee and rested it there, I tried to move, but Sif was stronger and held my knee in place, so I stayed put and rubbed my eyes.

"Fuck." I said and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Being vulgar diminishes your intelligence, please refrain." He chided gently and sat down on the chaise across from us. I then felt like a child that was being scolded by Mom and Dad and I looked up at the stars as they began winking into the early night sky.

"How big of a mess did I make?" I asked and buried my face into my hands and grumbled to myself.

"Not that big of one." Sif said and smiled at me. "It can be mopped up with a cloth."

I smiled at the both of them and tried not to kick Sif for being sassy, but another problem jumped into my head as I lay there.

"Thor really mad at me?' I asked and Loki gave me and exasperated look, I tried to refrain from giving him the same look back in sarcasm and settled on rolling my eyes. I glared at him quietly and groaned and picked up my phone and made it float out of boredom.

"Thor nearly beats you, and you are the one worried about him being angry over this? Did you hit your head or was the strike hard enough that we need to take you to Eir to be checked for damage?" Sif asked and took my hand squeezing it gently.

"I provoked him…." I started, but stopped because she looked at me angrily and I sat up and sighed.

"That alone is a pitiful excuse for him to put his hands on you."She said and glared at me.

"You are so much smaller than Thor, and everyone else here and he could have killed you, it took three men, including Loki to pull him off of you. Who ever it was in your past taught you that this is acceptable behavior, I wish to have words with because there is not reason to hang blame upon your self for this." I looked at Loki and freed my hand from Sif, he looked down at his hands and then looked at me.

"I did tell you I was many things, but I am not a misogynist. I will not stand by when a man seeks to beat a woman." He said and offered some sympathy.

"Yeah, but it is cool to throw a knife at me?" I spat at him, feeling the need to be defensive suddenly.

"I knew it would miss." He replied. "Poor excuse, but you are clever beyond all expectations, and it was a foot over your head."

I laughed and patiently sighed, still wondering about how I was going to rebuild the bridge between myself and Thor. The quiet became deafening on the balcony and I stared up at the stars and lost myself in the echo of silence for a moment.

"All these brains, all that I have read, and I still can't figure people out." I sighed and Sif looked at me.

"Maybe you were never meant to make windows into a person's soul Lilly." She said and I thought about her statement quietly, and felt like an old saying about being pound wise and penny foolish.

"Like jerk face was never meant to rule the Earth," I joked and grinned, and he gave me a look of irritation, but I knew he was getting used to me.

"Amusing." He said and rolled his eyes. "Just mind yourself over the next few days, and try not to cross paths with Thor. If you are open to taking advice, let him come to you to apologize, and be gracious about it. Tempers have run hot, and space may be needed to handle this rather delicate matter."

I looked at Sif and she nodded her agreement toward me and I crossed my arms again, tucking my phone back under my arm and groaning up at the sky.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Loki is correct." Sif said and smiled at me. "Soon, it will be behind you both and you will be friends again."

I thought about it, and smiled at them both, and then shook my head remembering my latest discovery. I grabbed both of their hands quickly and smiled wider.

"Want to see something cool?" I asked them both and they regarded me suspiciously as I talked. Loki looked down at my hand briefly, and I pulled them both up so they were standing and they both looked at me shocked.

"This is really cool, don't panic and don't let go of my hand." I said and cleared my head and let the three of us fall back in time to the birth of a world.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

His boots touched the floor again and he looked at Lilliana, shaking at the revelation he saw. This girl next to him could manipulate time and could travel to the beginnings of the universe; he opened the white knuckled fist and released the fine bones of her delicate fingered hand as his pulse calmed. Sif held her stomach and she bent over and heaved a bit before she could collect herself and stand up straight again, he did not tease Sif about her reaction because he felt about the same himself. She then grabbed Lilliana's shoulders and looked her in the eyes with a bit of panic as she shook.

"Tell me that was an illusion." She said nervously and searched Lillianas face for any sign of it being a joke. Lilliana stepped back and looked away sadly, but Sif held her fast, and looked further at the girl.

"No." Lilliana said and sighed. "I can travel through time, I can see it all. Please don't look at me like that. Like you are scared of me."

Sif let go of her shoulders and sat heavily on the chaise lounge and Lilliana backed from the group. Loki was processing all that he had just seen and he looked down at the girl, thinking and slightly afraid of what she could do. What the implications of her gifts could bring.

"I'm sorry I scared you, I just thought…." She said he cut her off.

"Don't meddle with this gift too much." He warned and Sif looked up at him wide eyed. "Consequences can be far reaching, and altering history on your whim, no matter how virtuous the intentions, could be disastrous."

"Loki." Lilliana said sharply. "You are already assuming the worst of me, and not looking at the bigger picture. I just went back to see what I could, nothing more." He looked at her and saw sadness and hurt in her eyes as she looked at the both of them.

"You can't tell me that you wouldn't go back and look, maybe change some of the horrible things that have happened. Wouldn't you save someone's life if you could?" She reached out and grabbed his arm and he sighed as he looked at her.

"Every death and every event has a purpose." He said, pulling his arm away from her and breaking the contact between them. Sitting down across from Sif, he looked up at her and motioned for Lilliana to sit down.

"Those events in time have changed all of us; the awful moments have given life meaning and taught us to appreciate the peaceful moments, and in a fashion served as a lesson to how resilient we can be. As for saving a life, it only serves to delay the inevitable pain and grief to come, would you save a person just to watch them die again at another point?"

He looked at her, hoping that she heard and listened to his words and understood them. He hoped that she would listen and not abuse what had been given to her desperately as the night closed in around her. She looked down like a scolded child, and all she really meant to do was to share something with them that she thought would impress them.

"No." She said and sighed as she looked deflated, then looked up at both of them. "Just please stop looking at me like I am a bomb about to explode or something equally bad."

"Can you move forward in time?" Sif asked and Loki sighed derisively.

"Yes," Lilliana said to her. "I went forward five minutes when I first figured out what I could do, but I still wand to be surprised by the future. No spoilers." Loki smiled at her explanation, and he looked at her seriously.

"I cannot force you to not use this gift," Loki said and raised a hand before Lilliana could talk. "Go back and observe, but promise us that you will resist the urge to change anything."

"Let ghosts stay ghosts." She said to the both them and gently smiled as he and Sif nodded agreement to her. Lilliana let her hands drift together nervously and she began to scratch at the back of one of her hands, and he cleared his throat. Her head jerked around and he pointed at her hands, and she stopped and tucked both of her hands under her legs.

He was glad she could hear reason, and he stopped being afraid of her gifts slightly. A cool evening breeze blew the scent of lavender and jasmine past him and he took a quiet breath as sad memories surfaced. He pushed them back again and took another breath to steady himself; he would not show weakness in this moment.

He watched her smile and tuck a stray hair behind her ear, and admired her earring, and how the dark purple stone in the stud matched her eyes perfectly. A private smile crossed her face as she got lost in thought for a moment.

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Celebrate it and yearn for nothing more." She said suddenly and Loki looked at her and Sif smiled at her.

"You are such a strange girl." Sif said and Lilliana looked down at her hands in repose. Loki blinked and leaned slightly back and regarded the small creature in front of him, he then gave a laugh and put his hand carefully on her shoulder. She turned toward him quickly and he removed his hand.

"Strange words for a wild spirit." He said and she blushed.

"How does someone with so few years have such wisdom? Sif asked and laughed. "Our scholars would do good to pick at your mind, set you in the middle of a table and let them question you for all you know."

"I'm not a novelty Sif," She said and smiled. "But sometimes, the most damaged people are the wisest, because in their state of being broken. That constant state of feeling lost in a crowd, they find themselves looking for the keys to fixing themselves. Along the way they find other things, and store them away, make some philosophies their mantra in their quest for wholeness."

She sighed as twilight descended on them, Loki pressed his lips together thinking about the words she just said. He regarded a mind with so much vast potential such as hers. He found himself wanting to further nurture her mind, and talk to her more about the things she had read, to have debates with her until dawn, and show her secret teachings from the far reaches of the universe. He wondered if she would become bored in her personal quest and allow her mind to atrophy, or if she would still hunger for more. Reaching out into the vastness of discovery as she explored and filled herself with new and forgotten knowledge.

"You are not broken." Sif said and Lilliana looked at her. "You are the most impossible girl I have ever met though. You are stubborn, yet so amazingly dynamic at the same time."

Lilliana smiled and looked down at her hands.

"I like that," Lilliana said and smiled. "You see me, and it feels good to be seen after being an invisible girl for so long." She reached in and hugged Sif, her hand then reached out and pulled him in by the collar of his tunic.

"Get in here Magic Dance," She said and Loki took her hand from his collar and held it instead. "Attack hug."

He looked at how small her hand was in his, and smiled at her graceful fingers, fire sprites circled her head and landed in her hair, fluttering away after a moment, looking like a crown of stars the next.

"You truly are stubborn Little Mouse." He said as his thumb caressed the back of her hand and Sif laughed.

"The universe loves a stubborn heart." Lilliana whispered and Loki knew that no words uttered were ever more true.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

For the first time in a very long time, I woke up somewhat at peace.

It was like I had been spending my whole life in a purgatory of sorts and I just now found my way to the door, I just had to remember which key to open it. I felt purpose as a stone in my personal wall fell free, letting in a little light and one of those parts of me that were kept away from everyone started to feel some warmth again. That part stretched its fingers to the light and felt the warm glow penetrate pale skin and reached its arm through like a prisoner reaching for bread. I still worried about what I was showing and thought about shoving the stone back into place and putting up more keep out signs, but I left it out. How bad could it be to have people see me after all?

I bathed quickly, splashing a bit of water with my hands at Aimee as she washed my hair, and she laughed and her brown eyes shone at me as she worked. I smiled back at her and she carefully dried the thick mop on my head and trimmed away a few split ends with a pair of scissors carefully as we chatted about nothing.

She helped me into a black waist length coat with gold embroidery, and she had to help me with the belts that crossed over my hips and buckled to the front, a knife on my right and dominant side, and a pouch on my left side to carry things I needed. Aimee made a point to say that when picking out my wardrobe today she had selected it and I was not to ashamed to admit that she was right. The pouch closed with a brass clasp and secured at the bottom with another strap and buckle around my thigh.

I put the pendant around my neck, and tucked it into my tunic, and grabbed the book Loki loaned me and put it in the pouch along with a cloth wrapped bundle.

"Do I look good?" I asked Aimee and she smiled at me as she wrapped another two braids of my hair around the top of my head in a crown and secured them both carefully. She found a bit of loose lining and tucked it back down under the mid height collar, and leaned down to look at me in the mirror.

"Fearsome and beautiful Lady, men will throw themselves at your feet for a smile from you." She said and we both smiled. My feet were in mid calf boots again, and she helped me lace the gold bracers on my forearms and then secured the shoulder guard on my right carefully. She gave it a testing tug, and nodded when she was sure it would stay in place, and I turned around with my arms out.

"Should I walk? Or jump out of windows?" I asked her joking and she laughed as I sat down again on the stool in front of the vanity.

"Walk." She said and pinned a gold hair band dotted with pearls in my hair between the braids. "Don't cause too much of a stir, Asgard already knows of your arrival enough. Let them wonder about you though, and be used to them staring, it is not because you are small, it is because you are still a legend. They wish to see what one looks like, and they will crave to see you."

I looked up at her from my seat, and smiled.

"No room to stay invisible here." I said and stood up quickly and dug in my bag for a book. "I almost forgot something, I was going to loan Loki another book. Maybe he will like it."

I held up my horribly battered copy of Cloud Atlas and put it in my pouch closing the clasp and scrolling through my phone for some music.

"If he dosen't?" She asked and I shrugged.

"No skin off my teeth." I said, raising my eyebrows and she looked over my shoulder at my phone.

"You like music." She said approvingly and I smiled at her.

"A female musician on Earth said that 'music is the magic carpet that other things take naps on.' She turned her pain and suffering into songs that changed everyone a bit when they heard her sing, and took comfort in her words."

"Is she a philosopher as well?" Aimee asked and I looked at her.

"Give me life, give me pain, give me myself again." I quoted and Aimee looked at me.

"No one knows who she demanded the return of her self from, it could have been a deity, it could have been that man who tried to smother her fire. But Tori Amos demanded it all back the same, and she had the guts to steal it back and in that her passion soared." I explained to Aimee, and she smiled again at me.

"She is a brilliant songwriter and a philosopher in one." I finalized with an answer to her question as an afterthought.

"She must be very strong of spirit to make such demands of forces greater than herself." I laughed and sighed before turning to open the door, pausing before leaving and looked back at her.

"She had to be strong, because the world wanted her to shut up." I said and left the room. I tapped the play icon and began walking toward the Training Yard to begin another day of practice and learning.

Wondering what I would discover I could do today, I slid down a railing at the stairs on my butt and skipped the next song as I landed on my feet gracefully at the bottom, a man with a heavy tray filled with fruit passed by and I grabbed an apple off it. Unable to hear his protests, I took a bite and did a quick turn on the ball of my foot and continued to walk the corridors.

I said I would walk, I never promised to behave.

I glanced down at my phone and finished my apple, stuck in a quandary as where to put the core, I panicked for a moment when a woman with a cart of food scraps walked by a window, I chucked the core onto the cart behind my back and slid down another railing, glancing down at my phone and not paying attention when I crashed into a brick wall with blond hair walking up the stairs with Volstagg at the bottom.

"Ow." I said sardonically as my phone skidded to a halt against a guard's foot, he bent and picked it up and looked confused at the device as it continued playing music from the earbuds.

The two of us were a tangle of body parts and my left leg was pinned under Thor who caused me to cry out in pain as he shifted and crushed my ankle accidentally, causing him to panic and crush it worse. I yelped again and tried to pull away, but he was heavier than me and the Guard came forward and held Thor still to prevent him form hurting me further. I laid back and put my head back in the ground and breathed away the panic and pain in me.

I kicked with my free leg and pushed his weight the way I needed it to go to free my leg. Volstagg helped me up and I tested my leg gingerly to see if it could hold my weight, and waved the guard over and turned off the phone and put it into my pouch.

"Many apologies Lady." Volstagg said as I took a few steps to test the ankle and stretched the knee gingerly, I turned to see Thor standing to the side struggling with something to say.

"It's fine," I said and patted Volstagg's shoulder politely and looked down. "My fault really, I should have been paying more attention."

Thor stepped forward and put his hand out and my instincts made me jerk back reflexively and he closed his hand on the air and let it fall to his side. Thor looked hurt briefly, but managed to stop and he took a breath and let it out. He stepped back silently, giving me room to pass him and I walked on scratching at the back of my hand nervously.

Around the corner and out of sight, I processed everything and mentally kicked myself for not paying attention. That whole exchange could have ended badly, and I wanted to check around the corner to see if they were still standing there. Instead I pulled my phone out of the pouch and checked it and was happy it was not broken, I really needed to take better care of my phone. I doubt they had a Verizon outlet here, they don't even have a Starbucks and that was irritating enough.

Seriously, I thought Starbucks was everywhere. They build them across the street from other Starbucks for fucks sake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I sat on a bench to the side of the ring in the Training Yard, ignoring the other warriors who did a bit of catcalling as I walked by. A couple made comments about their private parts being bigger than my feet, and I rolled my eyes and blew it off hiding my irritation as they went about their training.

"Thor and Odin would be very upset if I tell them about your crudeness." I threatened, and the men went about their practice but some glances and rude gestures still came my way. I was ignored as I waited for the most part when Loki walked through the archways and shot a look that was pure venom at one warrior who made a comment about "Breaking me with his passions," I grinned and noticed he was carrying a couple of books with him and I closed my game of Fruit Ninja as he sat down next to me on the bench and sighed.

"You ran into Thor." He said, it was not a question.

"Not on purpose." I said as he handed me the two books he was carrying, and I glanced down at the leather bound book. I opened t the title page, and read the Latin script. The other book was my copy of The Martin, and I set them both aside.

"I thought you would find the book useful, it is a philosophical text written six thousand years ago. Old, but still pertinent." He said and sighed as two warriors flexed obviously showing off for my benefit, I ignored them and put the two books into my pouch and pulled out the two that were there.

"I enjoyed the story in the book you allowed me to read, the ending was quite exciting." He said and turned and looked at me with a smile. "The science is sound?"

I nodded, and looked back at him as I fastened the clasp on the pouch and handed him the two books I brought down for him. He set his book aside, and studied the cover of the one I had brought.

"I thought you would like this one." I said as he looked at the cover of Cloud Atlas. "It is the story of intersecting lives and how nothing is chance, the characters are reborn into different eras in different timelines, and eventually their interactions shape the final future in the end." I said as he opened the book to a random page and glanced down at it, turning the pages and finding a passage I highlighted in the tortured book, his eyes followed it as I watched him.

"Our lives and our choices, each encounter, suggest a new potential direction." He read out loud and I felt a bit uncomfortable and shifted. "Yesterday my life was headed in one direction. Today it is headed in another. Fear, belief, love, phenomena that determined the course of our lives. These forces begin long before we are born and continue long after we perish. Yesterday, I believe I would have never have done what I did today. I feel like something important has happened to me. Is this possible?"

Loki closed the book and held it in his palms, sandwiched in his long fingered hands and slowly turned his body to me and looked up at my face. I suddenly felt like I had stepped into unfamiliar territory, and crossed a boundary I was never supposed to.

"You marked this passage in the narrative, why?" He asked me and I licked my lips nervously as I tried to look causal and shrugged.

"I liked it," I said and picked at the wooden bench seat with my thumbnail nervously. "It explores the concept of fate and the driving forces behind human nature and choice. It ponders the question that has plagued humanity for eons, what is the exact purpose of life, is we just born to die, or do we exist for some greater purpose? It elaborates on the question of if it is free will and choice that guides us, or if we are guided by some external force that is beyond our control. Some semblance of fate, and when we close our eyes on out last days, will any of it matter." I replied and he looked at me, really seeing who I was under the tough front I put up. I became afraid and felt so very naked under his stare, and I shrugged again to hide myself.

"It is pretty dumb." I said. "You don't have to read it if you think it is."

"Who put this furniture in your head?" He asked me and I blinked a bit thinking he was disappointed by my thoughts.

"No one," I said and leaned back against the wall, and studied the grain in the planks of wood that made up the floor of the walkway and sighed.

"My ideas are really stupid sometimes." I sighed and he turned away and put the books on the bench as he looked at the yard in front of us.

"No," Loki said and took in a breath. "You are introspective, and that is a rare trait for women, keep your thoughts and nurture them. I find you interesting in that respect."

I looked at his back and debated what he said being a compliment, it felt weird for a guy to say I was interesting because I had half a brain and I liked it in a weird way. It felt good to be seen as more than a thing that just existed by another being. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees and felt this weird need to clear a part of my soul.

"I always was a terrible student because I thought for myself. The teachers tried to make me memorizes facts, and I was stumbling through the dark looking for the abstract cause. History was the worst for me, because I wanted to understand the human nature that guided events, what fear or anger caused the events that shaped Earth and the human race. What was the motivation, was it greed? Was it stupidity? Why didn't people just sit down and talk? I wanted to find the hidden gray areas that fell between the black and the white."

"And this caused trouble for you?" He asked me and I laughed to myself as he frowned at me.

"Oh yeah," I shook my head and laughed a bit more. "More than you can imagine."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Presence stood before the Kree Supreme Intelligence and ran his hand over his bald head, wiping some of the mist that collected there away. He took in the chaos of his surroundings emotionlessly, and faced the man in his robes as they walked. Their home world of Hala was nearly decimated by centuries of war and stripped of most of its resources, sadly barren due to their greed. Fortunately it was not their planet he was interested in, but their military might.

"This girl is a weapon, this small human?" The Supreme intelligence questioned, his blue skin glinting as the mist collected on his skin from above, he looked away in thought and was weighing his options for how to best proceed. The Presence waited patiently, and folded his hands behind his back.

"How powerful of a weapon is she?" The Presence smiled and studied his companions face carefully and blandly smiled.

"Powerful enough to destroy all of the enemies of the Kree." He replied and not once in his conversation with the Supreme Intelligence did he blink the black orbs that served as eyes.

"The Kree do not wish war with the Asgardians though, it may be folly at this time to become hostile with them."

"Wise as always, Supreme Intelligence." He replied to him, playing to his ego. "All I require is one ship and one full regiment, I separate the girl from her protectors and then I bring here so that you may use her to end Xandar." The Presence watched the Supreme Intelligence and ignored the cool breeze that fluttered his black robes.

"Should I agree, what will happen to the girl? Asgard will declare war. Odin is not one to take open hostilities quietly and we will possibly require her again, maybe just the threat of using her will back them down." He asked thoughtfully and looked directly into the eyes of The Presence, having to jerk away and pretend to study a flowering plant. Desperately trying to hide form the soulless blackness he saw in those orbs.

"Leave that to me." He replied and the Supreme Intelligence thought deeply as he looked into the deep orange bloom in front of him. The problems caused by the actions of Ronan the Accuser still fresh on the minds of Nova Corps and a treaty between Xandar and Hala was currently in peril.

To end Nova Corps and to make Nova Prime scream would be a wonderful revenge for the humiliation he had so recently suffered, and to possess the strongest weapon in creation was a tempting offer. He closed his eyes in thought, and tilted his head back as he turned the offer over in his mind, weighing every benefit and every cost carefully. His decision made, he opened his eyes and turned to the strange being.

"I will grant you your one ship, and also you your one Regiment. Bring the girl….this human, this Illendrial to me. Together we will watch Xandar burn and I will reward you as we take Asgard afterwards."

The Presence smiled as the Supreme Intelligence looked directly at him, and he clapped his hand on the blue man's shoulder. He was looking forward to destroying the girl, absorbing her powers and making them his own. He could hear screams somewhere in the Universe and let them slip over his lips and onto his tongue, savoring them like fine wine.

"I am so pleased we could agree on this." He said and bowed regally to the Intelligence, but in the back of his mind he could not wait to taste the screams of the Kree.

So many worlds to lay waste to, all he needed was the power.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My arm was beyond sore as I swung the sword up above my head in a block before Loki could bring his down on me, the dust of the arena kicked up under our feet and I pivoted around to dodge a thrust. He advanced on me again as I took deep breaths and wiped my face before the sweat could fall into my eyes and he swung his sword at my neck as I jumped and reappeared behind him and placing the tip of my sword between his shoulder blades, winning this sparring match again.

"Checkmate man, I got you there." I said and he turned on me, and grinned as he swung around and disarmed me expertly, and I ducked back as he put the sword over my heart.

"I beg to differ." He said and I laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"I still won," I pointed at the chalk marks on the board behind me as and another tic mark was put under my name. "You cheated."

The warriors paid out bets placed again, and I laughed as Loki rolled his eyes. About three hours ago, the men dropped their own training and began watching us with keen interest. It was about the third sparring match that they began placing bets, and cheering the bouts. Even their master looked on watching, the two of us carefully and placed a few bets himself as we both circled.

I walked over and picked up my sword and leaned it against my leg as I took an offered cup of water from one warrior and a cloth from another to wipe my face on. I handed it back to him and he brought it up to his nose and pressed it against his heart, I rolled my eyes at the gesture and sipped the water from the cup, the warriors behind me chanted for another go and I shook my head. There was no way I could go another round at this point, my arm screamed in pain and I was exhausted.

"Getting tired?" Loki asked me as he put his sword in a rack and I finished the water in the cup and handed it back to the man who gave it to me.

"Yes, and my arm is killing me." I said gingerly flexing it and corrected myself again. "It's getting really sore."

Loki sat on the bench and flexed his own arm and watched me, smiling. Another cup was put in my hands and I resisted the urge to throw it at him. I thanked the warrior who gave it to me and their leader shouted at them to get back to their sparring and I laughed. I waved at them and drank the water as I returned my sword to the rack, and heard cheers as one man mimicked me by swinging a sword while on his knees.

"Thanks for pointing out how short I am, not that I am aware of it." I yelled at the warrior and he winked at me while laughing.

"You need to build your stamina Little Mouse." He said as I put the cup on the table and I glared at him as I pointed at the makeshift scorecard behind me. Wincing at a dull ache in my arm that was exacerbated by the movement, and I walked over and sat exhausted on a stool.

"I still say that is biased." He quipped and I rolled my eyes and blew out a breath, puffing out my cheeks and he looked at me mildly concerned.

"You will sleep well tonight." He said as a Paige entered the Training Yard and handed Loki a sealed letter, he took it and the Paige bowed and left his shy eyes falling onto me and I blushed as he smiled at me. Loki turned over the letter and opened it, breaking the ornate wax seal and read it and frowned at me giving off an open sigh in annoyance as he sat on the stool.

"Girlfriend dump you?" I teased him and he rolled his eyes. "It could be worse; she could have just taken all your stuff and sent you a text from the road. I've seen it happen, it sucks. Count your blessings, I should warn you though, I suck at the sympathy thing."

"I could be so lucky," He said and finished reading.

"Odin has formally invited you to dine with him in the Great Hall to celebrate your arrival the day after tomorrow." He sighed and passed me the letter and I read it freaking out, my heart hammering off my chest again as I read the entire invitation. I may or may not have been looking for a loophole.

"Oh no." I said and looked up at him. "Is this one of those things where I get paraded around like a prized horse, and there are twenty forks that no one knows what to do with?"

He rubbed his palms together and smiled at my assessment, finding it funny and not hiding his amusement at it. I groaned and rolled my eyes, I hated this kind of stuff, and I never knew how to act thanks to my social retardation. I folded the letter back up and groaned as I threw my head back again and buried my face in my hands.

"Start from the outside and work your way in with the forks." He said and took the letter back from me, tucking it into one of the books. I looked at him as he walked away. A sinking feeling filled me, and I scratched at the back of my hand nervously as I stood up and rushed after him.

"Wait, you are not coming?" I asked and he turned and looked at my hands and sighed. I quickly stopped and looked at him, hiding my hands behind my back.

"Your name is in the invite, you have to be there." I said and stepped in front of him, he looked down at me and sighed heavily.

"No, there are things I must attend to that evening, and I do not wish to watch all of Asgard throw themselves at your little feet." He replied and handed me the folded letter from in the books as he stepped around me and I nearly slapped him, settling for groaning and turning instead.

"No way Magic Dance." I said and shook my head.

"You are not throwing me to the wolves, this ship is sinking and you are so going down with me. This newest form of torture is on you too." I crossed my arms over my chest and tried putting on extra sass to show him I was not going to give up as I cut him off again. He looked at me amused and rolled his eyes, his body language non verbally told me he was not going to budge either. If I had to suffer through that evening, he was going to suffer along with me.

"You can't threaten me girl, do not try." He said and walked to the door, shifting up the books under his arm as I rushed to follow him up the stairs. I caught up to him and fell into step with him. I hurried along next to him as he purposefully walked ahead and I groaned with the effort.

"There is your mistake, and will you slow down? Your like all legs, for every step you take I take two." I said and he slowed his pace politely, I looked at him as he walked, he looked at me as I fell into step next to him to make my point made.

"I have millions of years of female evolution on my side and women are a secret society. If you even think, that you are sending me in there alone, I will so sick Sif on you." I threatened and wagged my finger at him and he stopped and looked at me slightly annoyed.

"Not very frightening Little Mouse," He said and patted the top of the head. "A very good attempt though, I was nearly frightened there by your threat for a moment. But alas, it passed."

He had finally crossed the line in making short jokes, and I was not going to let him off the hook on that one. Calling me Little Mouse was one thing, but patting me on the head was where I drew the line. I reached into my pouch as he began walking again and wrapped my hand around the cloth bundle I had made the night before from the one thing I had in my makeup kit I hated using because I spent about a month after using it washing it off of me, so I used it sparingly and only on special occasions.

I opened the pouch of silver glitter and poured some into the palm of my hand, as Fandral, Sif, Thor, and Volstagg walked around the corner and I rushed to catch back up with Loki as he walked on. I meant to use the glitter as a punishment if Fandral continued to flirt on me, but that short joke was too much for me to ignore and it deserved a special kind of wrath.

"I am going to give you one more chance, you can agree or else. But then I will use my secret weapon." I threatened and he spun around on me and looked down at me, regarding me with mild amusement as he rolled his eyes and pinched his lips together.

"Little Mouse, as much as I hate disappointing you, which is a lie in itself, my answer remains irrevocably….No." He said and leaned over to me so his nose was inches from mine, and I smiled sheepishly at him. I brought my hand up to my face with a smirk and took in a deep breath and opened it so he could see the contents of my palm before I gave him a Baptism of Stupid.

"What is…." Loki got out before I blew the handful of glitter right into his face, spraying him thoroughly with the Herpes of the arts and Crafts world. Behind me, the group of four, who was watching our argument, fell into a sudden and deafening silence as the last of the sparkles settled into his clothes and hair.

"Answer still no?" I asked and stood my ground as four people struggled not to laugh and Loki slowly started to turn a shade of purple I had never seen a human being turn before as a vein appeared in his forehead. I suddenly felt the world drop out from under my feet and I wanted to haul ass in every sense of the words. My smile faded and panic choked me as it wrapped a hand around my throat.

"What…..did…..what did you do?" He stammered out and I took a tentative step back as his jaw tightened and one of his hands tightened into a white knuckled fist.

"Oh shit." I said and started to run, but his hand shot out and grabbed my arm. My palms began sweating and I brought my arms up as I readied myself for a blow that was on its way and braced for impact as every alarm bell in my head went off.

"I am not giving in Little Mouse, but you will have something equally horrible coming your way for this transgression. I will collect you outside your chambers that evening, and I pick your dress." He hissed and my eyes popped open in surprise and looked at him as he let go of my arm with a slight shove and turned to walk away.

"You are really going to hate me later when you try to get that stuff off of you." I said, poking the bear with a very sharp stick and he ignored me as he stalked away quietly. He left a trail of silver glitter as he walked, and I watched as the sparkles settled in his wake. I sank to my knees and let my heart stop hammering in my chest as four people erupted into hysterical laughter and I looked over to see Sif trying to catch her breath desperately, as I stood up using a wall for support.

Even Thor looked amused at what had happened, and I carefully kept my glitter filled palm in front of me as I tried not to cry from the fear I let Loki see in my eyes a few moment s ago.

"That was brilliant!" Fandral exclaimed and walked forward to hug me and I put a finger up in warning to stop him, and he surprisingly took the warning and backed off.

"I have more of that stuff Fandral, and I am not afraid to use it." I said and he backed away with his palms out as Sif laughed, doubling over and holding her stomach as she howled with laughter.

"You probably chose an unwise path Lady." Thor said and shook his head, but still smiled at me.

"Only a fool would choose to provoke him by attacking his vanity and ego."

I resisted the urge to take a cheap shot at Thor for smacking me, and I patted him on the chest with my glitter covered hand in a bit of passive aggressive revenge. I looked down at the floor as I did this, knowing somewhere I was going to have to face the music with Loki. But for the time being I was just looking for my voice in a bit of trepidation standing next to Thor. His hand came up and held mine briefly, and I gave him a nervous smile while cursing myself for forgetting Loki's advice and thought quickly on my feet for something to say.

"Yeah man," I said, playing it cool.

"No hard feelings to you either." I took a few seconds there and made sure there was some glitter transfer from my hand to his.

Hey, not even I am above revenge.

"I never apologized for my actions." He said and the rest of the watched the exchange quietly and I shook my head, looking up at his eyes I saw his apology in them, wrapped in the confusion.

"Sometimes, friends just forgive each other without having to say they are sorry. It is a cool thing." I said and he smiled down at me.

I then sprung out and wrapped him in a hug that carried enough force to drop a full grown bear, and he hugged me back and the group laughed a bit as he lifted me up off the ground.

"I will care for you as a sister." He said and I smiled.

"I like that big guy," I said and whispered into his neck so no one could hear. "Do it again though, and I will have a rabid Bilgesnipe eat you."

He gave a deep throated chuckle and let me down as Sif smiled and nodded at me to show I did right, in the back of my head though I knew I had to deal with Loki next and I was really dreading that interaction.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

I didn't see Loki at all the next day, Sif came and visited me and we talked a bit. I taught her a card game and we laughed, it was nice really. Aimee insisted on telling me stories from Asgard, mostly legends that made me laugh and I found myself liking the two women. I had never had friends before, or anyone who cared if I lived or died, the feeling was very alien to me but I was getting used to it. She showed me the libraries, and I collected a stack of books to read on my own time. I thought I saw a familiar dark haired man out of the corner of my eye as I reached up to grab I huge illuminated text, but when I turned my head it was just the light playing tricks on me.

I guess my guilt was picking on me as well.

I did feel bad for humiliating him in front of everyone, and it was a real dick move on my part. But I was used to pushing everyone who got too close away, and burying my feelings down deep so no one could see them. I was terrified of letting people in, and that fear molds you into someone you were never meant to be. But what happened when you got tired of being the cast iron bitch? What happened when you actually started caring about people, and they started liking you?

Part of me wanted to go looking for him and apologize, but the more crappy part of me which was the dominant part told me to sit down or it would drag out stuff I didn't want to reveal. And some roads in my head I hated going down with a passion, they were filled with pain and some tortures never really came close to what was upstairs in my head.

Maybe he needed time to cool off also. God I hated emotions, and all the gushy stuff that comes with having friends. And caring if people liked you in the long run.

Long story short about my day of no activity, I sat and read books, and realized what a real asshole I was in the long run and how overdue I was for my karmic bitch slap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day after, and the day of the banquet, I rose early and Aimee dressed me quickly after my bath. Today she allowed my hair to hang long down my back as it would be styled more elaborately later. I liked the way the thick, black curls hung down my back and shined when I turned in the mirror. It was a beautiful contrast to the rose colored dress she had me in. Bored, I added a touch of red to my lips and giggled at the reflection as she smiled at me.

"Lips red as blood, hair black as night, and skin pale as snow." I said repeating the line from the fairy tale and picked up and apple as she watched and took a bite from it and pretended to faint placing my wrist on my forehead, falling gracefully to the ground. Aimee made me tell her the fairy story as she worked and she listened to me closely, she smiled happily at the ending. Her work forgotten, she was begging me for another when I decided I couldn't take her chatter anymore and decided to take a book and read it outside in the gardens.

I did promise her another fairy tale at another time as I picked up a matching wrap and draped it over the top of my head so it caught in the filigree gold and silver diadem Aimee insisted I wear but I found ridiculous. I carried the book out with me and left the room quickly before she could say more.

I walked down to the gardens, and knew that the guard was watching me again, and I blushed and covered my nose and mouth with the wrap to hide my smile. I turned, winking at him as I threw one end of the wrap over my shoulder and walked the flagstone path into the fragrant garden, where the perfume of lilac, jasmine, and rose floated out to greet me on the breeze and I stopped to admire the various blooms. I was cradling a rose in my hand gently as I bowed to smell it when a man dressed neatly passed me and bowed as I smiled and blushed at him. He offered to pick the rose for me, and I told him it was better left on the bush.

I found a low stone bench under a tree overfilled with cherry blossoms, and opened the book in my lap and quietly read from the pages, it reminding me of the philosophical teachings of Socrates as my eyes scanned the page. I was lost in the words when a shadow fell across me. It startled me a bit, and the wrap fell off the crown of my head. From the fact that the person said nothing was a dead giveaway that it was Loki.

"Page 39?" I asked softly and heard a sharp intake of breath. I looked up at him and he stood there looking down at me as if I were a pathetic little thing he tilted his head back and I frowned back up at him. From his entire demeanor, he was still mad. I probably deserved it.

"Yes." He replied curtly, and I closed the book softly and rested my hand on the cover, thinking for a moment.

"I figured that, it trips a lot of people up." I said and studied his face. "Mitchell changed his mind halfway through the narrative and he went back with an original story line, he didn't like the path the current story one was taking and decided to go another road that he liked much better. It made a lot of people think it was a misprint in the book, but it wasn't. I personally like it because it shows how dynamic of a writer he is, and that minds and hearts can be changed so easily by the inertia of just living."

He nodded at me silently and turned to leave and stopped briefly looking over his shoulder and I looked down at the grass as if it were a small city and tried to not be afraid. He regarded me over his shoulder, and I glanced back up at him.

"Still mad about the glitter?" I asked and scooted to offer him a place on the bench but he stayed standing, his back to me and turned back around and pinned me with a cool stare. I cringed and looked up at him as he tilted his head back and pressed his lips together.

"I will collect you this evening at your chambers, I have chosen your attire and I hope that you can control yourself for the duration of the celebration." He said, talking down to me and I shivered a bit. I had messed up royally and I stood up and took in a breath and he looked at me slightly surprised.

"Go for it." I said and he raised one eyebrow at me, as I stood there braced to the chewing out that was to come.

"What?" He asked quietly, and he looked confused.

"Take a cheap shot, chew me out, yell at me, or set my hair on fire. Do something and get it over with." I said and he made a face that said he could not believe that I had just suggested what I had. He still remained stock still as he regarded me coolly.

"I am offended that you suggested I cause you harm." He said and I groaned. I was tired of being an asshole, I was tired of being alone, and I was tired of pushing people who genuinely liked me out of my life because I was so scared to be the person I was becoming. I was tired of hiding in plain sight and I was just plain tired of people thinking I was less than human because of every thought I had in my head did not agree with theirs.

I was tired of being the smart kid among a society of dunces.

I sighed and resigned myself to my fate, throwing my arms out in exasperation as I sat back down on the bench and rubbed my eyes when I heard him turn to leave. I raised my eyes softly and pulled the wrap off my shoulders not sure that I was doing the right thing in that moment, and I had no freaking clue what was going to pop out of my mouth in the next few moments. But I took in a breath and started talking, knowing that I was probably not making any sense at all.

But sometimes you just have to roll the dice.

"My whole life is a huge cosmic joke huh?" I asked him and he turned around, facing me and looked at me suddenly.

"Ever hate yourself for just being alive? You saw me before I came here; that idiot wrapped up in a shell of leather, spikes, and hate, you want to know what was in the bag I was so afraid of losing? Why I ran when I saw you and Thor sitting behind me and following me?" I said and he took in a breath, and I looked down ashamed for my past. I wanted to kick myself for the confession I was about to spill and for what I once was.

"I am not a good person, when I turned sixteen I needed money because I had two more years before I got kicked out of the house and became another homeless person living on the streets. I met a guy, Michael, he said he could get me a job that would fit my lifestyle and he introduced me to David. David offered me a job on one condition, and that condition was: you can never back out. I ran my first three pounds of illegal drugs that day. When I got back, I was given my street name which I went by for several very long years. I was told that if I ever tried to quit, he would let he muscle have turns with me before he put a bullet in my brain and dumped my body somewhere." I said, and nearly started crying. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself as I leaned forward and studied the grass.

"I was afraid, because I was a girl. And I kept doing as I was told, and soon you stop caring about what is in the bag and start looking at it as another workday. Eventually, you look at people and only see the innocent lives who will pretty much just become collateral damage if you mess up and get caught, as lives you destroy if you ever get picked up by the cops. You push everyone out and build a wall around yourself, and just keep doing the job."

"Soon you get asked to steal a car or two, and you get paid for it. After that it is more that just a stupid job, it becomes survival. It is the only thing you know, and the only life you live from then on. A fucked up lifestyle that hangs over your head like a damn ghost that you can't escape. And you stop feeling human after a while. I started drinking after one girl I knew messed up and I had to watch as David's bodyguards had at her. She screamed and looked at me for help, a skinny short girl who they could break like a twig. I knew that if I did anything to stop them they would kill me, and I was in too far to ever get out. That day, I got drunk and celebrated my own funeral because no one else was ever going to."

He sat down and looked at me and I wiped away a tear, and I looked away from him in shame. I felt the mortar in my wall start to crumble more and more as I took in another breath as inside that wall an arm stretched up to the light more, finding freedom and warmth.

"The next day, I woke up in a cheap motel with my life in shattered pieces around me. I went from a throwaway orphan, to a loser criminal with nothing to loose and an expiration date above my head. And then you and Thor picked me up on the street, and brought me here."

"There is no shame in survival." He said and I cringed away from his words.

"No," I said, "Because of that flaw in me, that awful part of myself, I stood by and did nothing. Now I look in mirrors and I don't blink or flinch, because all I see is this monster I became that day because I didn't try to stop those animals when they killed that girl because she wanted out. Everyone thinks I am amazing, but I'm the worst kind of human, the one who turns their back on suffering because I am selfish."

"I just want to say to someone sometimes how sorry I am for my past, but I can't." I finished and sighed down at the grass, the garnet ring on my thumb shining in the sun as I sat there. I felt a hand on my arm and I looked at him and shuddered with the memories that nearly killed me to let out, the words that I was always afraid to utter to another person. He looked at me and he handed me a cloth for my face. I took it and wiped at my eyes and let out a tired sigh, and Loki's hand touched my arm again and I looked at him.

"Forgiven, and you are not a monster. The guilt in you alone proves to everyone that you never where capable of the cruelty a true monster is." He said thickly as his throat worked and he swallowed, I blinked at him shocked and in disbelief and his arms came up and wrapped around me and I struggled a bit against the contact. Eventually relaxed in to him and he patted my shoulder.

"Now stop celebrating your own funeral, as you say, and learn how to live and celebrate your life."

"I don't know how, Loki." I said and my hand gripped his bicep as he gently broke the hug and and held my shoulders at a distance. I looked at him as he took the cloth and mopped at my cheeks.

"As your friend, will you allow me some advice?" He asked me and I nodded as he finished and looked into my eyes. I had never seen this side of him before, and I doubt few really did.

"Tell yourself you deserve a better life, and don't allow anyone to make you feel inferior. Learn to live, you are clever and will be forever remembered as such." He said to me and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said and really meant it this time.

"You are not a bad person." He added, and he looked at me seriously. "Your decisions were bad, and the fact that you feel guilt for your past shows that you are still moral. That in itself is just."

I looked at him, and he gave me a sad smile, and really looked at me and he smoothed my hair and adjusted the diadem for me, and I laughed at my new girlfriend who fussed about the way I looked.

"All fixed, he said, and made the cloth vanish as he sat back. May I say one thing?" I nodded to him silently, and he took my hands gently and smiled.

"Don't let your light fade Little Mouse, you are a wondrous mind trapped behind a past you cannot escape. But like you said, you should leave it there. Stop letting your sins define you, the girl I see in front of me is so much braver than she thinks, and the universe would be poorer if you left it." I sat quietly and couldn't resist my next action. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he jerked back suddenly and slowly relaxed and let me hug him.

"Thank you." I said and he disengaged me gently.

"Why are you thanking me? I am the master of lies and treachery." He said and I composed myself, and smiled at him.

"Truth?" I asked him and he nodded at me.

"Because you are my friend, and what you said was true." He looked at me and smiled a bit chuckling at me, I looked at him as I picked up the book on the bench.

"I also forgive you for your past." I said and nearly regretted saying that, and he just looked at me and his eyes glanced down at the stone bench.

"My dad used to say, when he was cool at least and he was not being a total jerk. That every man with sins seeks redemption, but not every man will ask for it. Arrogance and a lack of reason will keep them from asking; sometimes someone has to show them the road." I said and Loki looked back at me and looked back down at the bench seat.

"I never could figure out what he meant, but I do know now what it means. No one is so lost that they cannot find the road out of perdition, they just sometimes need someone to shove them the right way. You and Thor saved me by bringing me here, and I owe you both that. Maybe I found my purpose in that." I said and saw Aimee walk around the bushes and start waving at me aggressively.

"Oh great." I said and Loki looked over at Aimee, and chuckled to himself.

"Looks like our conversation must be cut short." He said and I stood up and tucked the book under my arm.

"I will see you later then." He said and I smiled and gave him a nervous laugh.

"You better believe it, maybe it will not be so bad after all." I said and he gave a sardonic laugh as I walked away to be trussed up in a fancy dress and tortured for an evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was nearly ready when the knock came, Aimee settled the braid of hair she was working with on my shoulder and went over and answered the door politely and told whoever it was that I was nearly ready. She returned to her work when another knock came at the door, and she rolled her eyes and shouted at the door.

"She is nearly ready!" She shrieked in the direction of the door and I laughed into my hand at her frustration.

The high necked emerald green dress was too much with the gold embroidery and I felt weighed down, the beads that dotted the gown artfully sparkled with every shift blinding me. Loki chose that damn thing, and I had a feeling this was revenge for the glitter.

Aimee carefully took the braid and wove it into and elaborate style with three others that reminded me of a picture of my full blooded Japanese Grandmother. Behind us, I had turned on Macklemore and we both laughed as Aimee swayed and tapped her feet to Can't Hold Us. The elaborate braids formed a soft diadem at the top of my head and the rest of my hair fell in gentle waves down my back as I watched her pin a hair band of gold and emeralds into the style as another knock came at the door. I put my finger up before she completely lost her mind, and I used my power to turn the volume up on the phone and the speakers bumped with base and drums.

She smiled as I turned and took her hand and pulled her to the middle of the room, and began dancing with her. We turned and met with my hand on her arm, and we swayed as we both laughed as I lifted my skirts and slid on the balls of my feet expertly and clapped my hands to the beat and moved my feet in the syncopated rhythm. We both laughed and I took in large breaths as the song ended. Two girls just having fun before one of them ends up on display.

I sat back down on the seat and Aimee twisted and adjusted my hair carefully as she worked, giving the hair that fell in black silk waves down my back soft curls.

"Let everyone admire, but allow their eyes to pass over you. Give it little attention, but do not be fully unapproachable." Aimee coached me as she added a pale pink color to my lips. "Smile, but remain a mystery, should a man approach and seek your hand, deny him that favor."

"I know that, make them work for it." I said and put on my best Mona Lisa Smile, and picked up a hand mirror like a fan. Using my eyes, my Japanese quarter came out as I used my eyes to beguile and tempt, but remain graceful yet seductive. I turned my face slightly as I lowered the mirror in my hands and parted my lips with delicate grace. Aimee gasped at the effect and I laid the mirror on the table and I brought my hand up to my chin and delicately rested on it, my face a pure slate of mystery as to what my thoughts were. She clapped her hands at the effect and approved with a smile.

"Beguiling, yet completely mysterious Lady." She said breathlessly, and I stood and walked to the mirror and looked over my shoulder flirtatiously at her. She collapsed into a wave of giggles as I blinked slowly once, turning my head to show the curve of my neck and shoulder. I then turned and let the beads on my sleeves glitter in the light as I put my hand on my hip and took a model stance and put one leg in front of the other in that flattering silhouette that made you look like a goddess.

I pivoted again in a graceful float and faced the mirror and I took my own breath away as I looked at my image and I put my hand out as Aimee adjusted the short bustled train behind me. I studied the reflection and saw pale skin wrapped in an Emerald silk dress and topped with amethyst eyes. I took in a breath, and looked at the beautiful creature who looked back at me and sighed, catching my breath at the queen that stood in front of me. I folded my hands to my left side and squared my shoulders and lifted my chin not in a proud way, but in the way an ethereal queen would.

"Aimee," I said and looked in the mirror admiring the graceful swirls of gold embroidery that highlighted my waist and the deep emerald beads that rose in a galaxy from the hem of the gown to become a light dusting at my waist sparkled.

"I have become Desire." My voice whispered and she smiled at me as I turned my head.

"You will have the hearts of many." She said and I blushed, looking at her and shook my head.

"I do not want them." I said and she nodded understanding as another knock came from the door, and even this time I couldn't resist rolling my eyes. Aimee threw her arms out as she walked over to the door and opened it and looked exasperated as voices came from out side in argument. She clapped her hands to silence everyone and they all became silent as she stood in the door blocking entrance and their veiw.

"Wait until you see it, the sight is a horror, truly awful." She said and I laughed at her joke as I walked forward, using my power to turn off the phone completely as she closed the door quickly. Cutting off everyone as the voices rose again to be allowed entrance.

I exploded into laughter and she straightened the dress one final time and she smoothed the fabric over my shoulders, she took her place to open the door as I took the long stem of a white lily from the vase and let it gracefully hang from my hand as I rested my other hand on my hip.

"Perfect, remember to remain graceful in every movement." She said and I looked down at the flower as I brought it up to smell the bloom.

"Let them look," she said. "And remember you are the most powerful woman in the room." Aimee coached finally and I slowly put back on my calm exterior as my heart hammered in my chest. This was going to be hell, but I could survive it.

She then cleared her throat and opened the door and stood to the side as I walked forward and stepped in front of the open door, handing Aimee the flower as everyone watched. I turned my head and was greeted by the sight of five warriors in their best armor staring at me in open amazement. Even Loki stared at me as I looked up at all of them with the mysterious smile on my face and he pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and swallowed visibly as he collected himself quickly.

"Lady." Fandral gasped out and everyone looked at him. "You are a storm in itself, because you have stolen the breath from me."

Everyone turned and glared at him as I folded my hands over my left hip and let the smile fade. Sif slapped the back of his head suddenly and Thor chuckled at the attack.

"We spoke of this Fandral." She said to him and I looked at Sif as Loki rolled his eyes, taking a completely aloof stance and walked forward reaching out for my hand.

"Oh in the name of the Nine Realms." He said and grabbed my my wrist, resting my hand on his. His annoyance evident and I looked up at him, wondering if he was jealous.

"We are late enough and I am starved." He said and he guided me along the hall and he turned to the men in the hall.

"Throw yourselves at her little feet later." He said and I glared at him as we walked. He led me along and I fell into step, and caught him sneaking glances at me out of the corner of his eye and I took my chance as he took a longer glance at me.

"You are going to walk into that pillar." I said and he looked ahead quickly in surprise and I heard him sigh when he saw there was not pillar in his path.

"Not a word little Mouse." He warned and I giggled silently. Every person we passed looked at me, and I did my best to keep Aimee's coaching in my mind as we walked, I smiled again and took another jab at him.

"A word." I said and his hand tightened under mine and I giggled again knowing I had gotten his goat, and held my chin higher knowing I had won that round.

"Exhausted of it all yet Little Mouse?" He asked me and I threw him some sass at his quip as he opened the door to the Great Hall for me and I rolled my eyes.

"We will see who breaks first Magic Dance." I replied as he took my hand again and ushered me into the huge room and din of voices.

"And you call me the God of Sass." He said and I laughed at his joke as everyone, including Odin turned and looked at me. I may have froze like a deer in headlights, my heart giving into hammering. Somehow, I managed to look completely stoic and hid the urge to look down at my feet in shame. Instead I looked past everyone and I stayed quiet. My exterior was calm in collected, inside my heart wanted to burst out of me and run screaming through the halls and dive under my bed back in my rooms.

Ah anxiety…you heartless bitch.

"May I present to all gathered the Lady Lilliana Rose Hawthorne of Midgard, the Illendrial incarnate." Loki said in a clear and loud voice and I wanted to punch him in the dick really bad. I dug a fingernail into the back of his hand and shot him a look that screamed I was going to kill him.

One at a time the people in the hall gave polite bows, and the men looked at me closely, some with predatory grins. Carefully, I put my smile back on and gave a polite wave with grace and calm, slowly blinking as everyone watched my every response. I lifted my chin and denied one man my hand as coached by Aimee when he bowed and tried to kiss it.

"That, Little Mouse, is revenge for the glitter." He said as he released my hand and moved away, I didn't look at him and smiled at a person who walked by and greeted me. He rubbed the back of his hand and I smiled.

"Game on you bastard." I said and looked up at him as he smiled back at me slyly.

"I have the advantage, I have played at this much longer than you." He said and walked through the crowd as a man in royal blue approached me and greeted me with a bow as he walked by.

Sif walked up on my right side, and Thor took my left as I stood in the center of the crowd and the two of them flanked me like columns. Thor offered my his hand in an effort to support me, and I looked up at him and took it gratefully as a blonde woman in a pink dress glared at me with open hostility. Fandral walked past and we stepped forward into the hall and Thor gave my hand a squeeze, and I smiled up at him.

"What was that with Loki?" Sif asked as she leaned into me and I pressed my lips together as another man walked past and bowed to me. I returned the greeting with a wave of my hand and a smile.

"He just challenged me to a game. Keep score, because I am playing to win." I said and Thor laughed and closed his eyes, and he gave my hand another squeeze.

"I already award you two points Lady." He said and I heard Volstagg laugh behind me and Sif sighed openly as Odin approached us and reached out to take my hand from Thor as I gave a polite curtsy to the King. He smiled and he tucked my hand into his elbow as he stood over me and I blushed gracefully and the woman in pink stopped shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

"It is good to see you have gone two days without injury, and that you are reconciled with Thor." He said and smiled proudly.

"He calls me his sister, it makes me happy to be considered that good and close of a friend." I replied and Odin smiled again and looked at me.

"You bless this old man by gracing my arm with your beauty." I smiled and blushed at his compliment and internally screamed a bit but did not show it. I resisted rolling my eyes and continued to smile and think of something witty to say.

"I am the one who should be grateful for your protection and this honor you have given me. I will do everything I can to please you." I replied and looked over his shoulder to see Thor hold up another finger to indicate that I was given another point, and I smiled widely at it. I gave a swift jerk of my head toward Loki and Thor held up two fingers and smiled, indication I was ahead in the game.

Odin returned my smile and he lead me gently to a severe looking man with waxy skin, who wore black robes as he spoke to another white haired man who looked like a sweet grandfather with his white beard.

"This is Lord Raithbourne and Lord Seventaka." Odin introduced me and the grandfatherly man stepped forward and took my free hand and cradled it in one of his.

"A sweet looking girl," He said and he smiled. "Such eyes that burn with intelligence."

"Lord Sventaka, is a scientist and a Seer, he will tell you what he sees in the stars, and will tempt you with your future." Odin said and I turned my hand in his.

"What do you see for me Sir?" I asked him politely and he looked in my eyes and studied me kindly, his hands shook with palsy as he looked down at the lines and gently closed his hands over mine.

"Great things dear child," He said. "You have a universe of possibilities in you, and your destiny is that of kindness and graces few will ever have. I see a lifetime of love and respect from the one who claims your heart"

I smiled at the old man and decided that I liked him instantly and kissed his cool cheek, he looked shocked at me for a moment and smiled and I saw a blush under his beard form. The other man came forward and regarded me as if I were nothing more than a piece of furniture, and gently moved the other lord aside as he stared down at me. I wanted to shrink under his stare and I had a feeling that he was going to be a tormentor while I stayed in Asgard.

"Such a pretty little thing," He said smiling me down at me with yellow teeth. "Perhaps you could illuminate me with what pretty little words you have charmed both of the Odinsons with."

"Lord Raithbourne is a scholar of Philosophy and civilizations in general, and an adviser to me in many matters." Odin said shortly and glared at the man for his chastisement.

"Do you know anything of the teachings of Buddha? He is a Deity on earth, and his teachings are of kindness and grace in the pursuit of true enlightenment." He stepped back and I looked up at him politely.

"I do not; illuminate me to these pretty words." Raithbourne said and the room went quiet. I took in a breath to launch my attack and let it out slowly as Thor and Sif moved behind the two men. Waiting on baited breath to hear how I would handle this attack on my person.

"Perhaps I am a pretty little thing, but every person lives within the perceptions of their peers. It is human nature to seek out a purpose and path to follow in life, and general acceptance in part of the teachings of Buddha as well as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Shelter, comfort, and companionship are the base desires of people everywhere, but in their pursuits to satisfy the primal needs they starve their spiritual needs as well. It is sad, and it is a fact of the human condition. Buddha teaches that that path of enlightenment is through compassion, kindness, self reflection, and study. The teachings tell us to find such enlightenment in the small, wonder in the minute, and joy in the simple. There is a vast wisdom in the teachings, one such is that the people around you can be influenced by the smallest of actions, and that inertia can be built from a breath. What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create. Through action and kindness, the perceptions of others on you can be changed for the better. I live by his teaching that I should not say anything unless what I have to say is more beautiful than silence." I said as the entire room stopped and listened closely to me, and I looked up and saw Thor hesitantly hold up ten fingers and smiled at them.

"Sentiments from a pretty girl." Raithbourne challenged.

"Wisdom so vast that it is still pursued to this day." I retorted and Odin patted the hand in his elbow as he turned to move me away me away.

"It was a pleasure to meet you both." I said politely and bowed to the men as Odin took me around the room and introduced me to other men. As we left the last of his advisers, Odin laughed deeply and gave my hand a gentle squeeze as he escorted me to the center of the room. I looked over at him, and he smiled down at me and chuckled again.

"You will have to further give me some instruction in your thoughts and philosophies." He said as we walked past Loki. "I find your mind most fascinating, and I was amused by how you handled Raithbourne. The man is terrible at times, and often thinks himself wiser than me."

Odin let my hand go, and I blushed at his compliment and looked into his eye and saw a sparkling laughter there. Thor held up another ten fingers over his head and I laughed and ticked my head back at Loki, and he held up six.

Odin left me standing there as a woman in a beautiful rose colored gown who approached me. She was heavily pregnant, I congratulated her as Loki's hand snaked around my arm and he leaned down close to my ear. The woman blushed at my well wishes and she smiled.

"Clever Little Mouse." He said, and I turned on him and took my arm back. "You may be doing well, but the night is long."

I looked up at him and he looked down at me with smirk, and I wanted to wipe the smugness off of him.

"Let me know when you start to sweat a bit." I said and turned. But he caught my arm again before I could walk away.

"Now the real question of your cleverness." Loki said, and I looked at him. "Can you dance?"

My smile dropped and I looked at him, the look he gave me back told me he saw the panic in me.

"Not a funny joke." I said and he smiled at me.

"I was not joking." He replied and I internally screamed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tired and feeling like a prized horse on display, I made it through the banquet and enjoyed the food for what it was. Odin kept pressing me as to the teachings of Buddha and the philosophies of the religion as I sat on his right, and he seemed generally interested as Thor listened from his left side.

I had to admit that I did enjoy talking to him, and I felt like an equal instead of a girl with enough brains to pick up a book. I realized then that all the men here treated me as an equal. With the exception of Raithbourne of course, and I actually felt like my opinions were not looked down on. Odin even asked a few questions when he became confused with a line of thought, and I smiled and patiently explained them all and he allowed me to ramble as we both sat. Loki tapped his fingers on the table as I talked and Odin laughed at a little joke I made about being reincarnated as a mouse if you were ever judged to be cruel to cats in your current life. He let out a booming laugh, and Thor raised five fingers quickly and I laughed back, putting on the charm as I sipped from my cup.

"Such a clever mind." Odin said, and drank his wine. "Loki and Thor have given me a fair assessment of your thoughts Child. It is so good to see that your mind is so accepting as well to all the teachings you read, and that you are clever to navigate an ever changing world."

Thor smiled, and lifted another two fingers and I laughed.

"Usually the way I think annoys everyone." I said and Odin set his cup down and did not hide his annoyance at that thought.

"You have a mind that is sound; do not let them judge you for that." He replied and touched my hand. "Tell me what gives them the right to judge you, tell me the thoughts that circle in your mind that allows them irritation."

"I believe in free choice, that people are not stagnant, but dynamic. Every part of the mind and personality is shaped by the events of their lives. I believe there are no facts. Those are infinitely boring, but the more interesting gray areas in between the black and the white. The what if and the why. I believe that human nature is not something to be shamed, but to be celebrated, and emotions are a part of what makes us unique and should never be erased." I said to Odin and sighed.

"You look to open souls and read private thoughts." Loki said and briefly paused as he drummed his fingers on the table in annoyance. I smiled at the challenge and took it.

"No." I said. "I look past the person and the event itself. If you only look at one thread in a tapestry, you will never see the whole picture. But, if you step back, you will see the multitude of threads that make up a glorious and beautiful landscape."

"Sounds like she only wishes to see truth." Thor said in my defense and I smiled at him widely.

"Sounds like a silly girl." Loki retorted and I glared at him. "One life cannot change minds, one mind cannot change the way the tide reaches the shores." He said and waved his hand in front of him. I picked up the cup of wine and took a sip, and smiled over the rim of it at him in the same way I looked over the mirror at Aimee and he stopped as his eyes met mine.

"What is an ocean, but a multitude of drops?" I said and Odin chuckled. "I may be only one life among many, but I have inertia, and that is what all beings live to follow."

Loki sat back in his chair, and nodded his approval when I looked over his shoulder and noticed musicians preparing to play music, the plates were taken away from in front of me. My cup was refilled and I must have gone very pale, because Loki looked amused at me and I collected myself quickly.

I didn't know how to dance, and it was about to become painfully evident.

Loki sat forward and smiled wickedly, as I took in a breath. I thought he was going to ask me to dance, and internally I looked forward to stepping all over his feet but his smile faded and I saw Fandral approach the table.

"I hope you don't mind," Loki said. "I told Fandral that you would give him the honor of the first dance."

I smiled at his amusement and I leaned closer to him and took in a deep breath as he looked at me. I glared back at him and he smiled widely at my discomfort, knowing he won this round.

"You get the second dance, and I am going to gut you like a fish next time we do armed sparring." I said and I sat back. "I am going to step all over your feet when we dance too."

"What is a threat between friends Little Mouse?" He said and leaned on the arm of his chair toward me and reached across himself to grab me by the upper arm and pull my ear close to him as my heart skipped a beat.

"You are very beautiful tonight, and you look ravishing in emerald." He said and I turned blushing toward him, I was going to thank him when he sat back in his chair and I sighed instead, my heart missing a beat suddenly.

Fandral bowed to me and I smiled politely.

"Lady Lilliana, will you give me the honor of the first dance?" He asked me and I stood up reluctantly, but smiled graciously to him. I gracefully stepped around Loki and gave the back of his head a push forward as I walked behind him, and he glared at me for the cheap shot.

"Between friends." I said and smiled as I walked to accept Fandral's hand and curtsied at him, he led me out to the center of the room after kissing my hand gently. I may or may not have been good at dancing, but I still made it my life's esteem to step on Fandral's toes as much as I could as he took the lead and we both began gliding around the floor.

"Are you still fighting with Loki?" He asked me and I sighed and smiled.

"No, we are friends again and now we are just picking on one another. Want to join in?" I said and he turned me suddenly, nearly knocking me off my feet and he braced me expertly to make my tripping look like it was on purpose.

"Apologies dear Lady, I was captivated by the stars that twinkle in the twilight of your eyes." He said and I internally screamed, but still blushed as he led me gracefully in a turn.

"Fandral…." I said and he laughed showing every tooth.

"I know my dear, but it is such fun to tease you. Your embarrassment and the way you hide is humorous." He said and winked with a twitch of his mustache.

"I really doubt this whole time you have been teasing me." I said as he smiled again and I nearly fell over when he dipped me.

"My eyes see your loveliness, but I fear my heart belongs to another. She is the only woman I desire to protect my heart, and I adore her sweetness." He said and I laughed. "A warning here, I plan to lift you, please brace your hands on my shoulders." I raised my eyebrows as his hands slipped to my waist, and he turned while lifting me. I giggled a bit and the people watching clapped at the spectacle.

"Don't break her heart flirting with me then." I said to him as he set me back down and led me off again.

"I will still take every moment I can to remind you of your beauty. You seem deprived of kindness." He replied and bowed to me as the music ended, and I returned the courtesy. I smiled at him and I admit it, I felt a bit like Cinderella at the ball.

"If you will forgive me Lady, I will go to my sweet Aimee now." I let my jaw drop open and I smiled at him and laughed openly at Fandral as he turned and left me. Sif walked over and she was smiling broadly as she took my hand and they pulled me aside.

"You have the whole room charmed, Thor and I are still keeping score and we are all impressed." She picked up a cup of wine and drank from it, and then handed it to me and I took a drink. My head was becoming fuzzy, so I decided to slow down. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Loki walking up to us with a scowl on his face and I ignored him. Sif leaned in and gave me a quick point to my right, and I nodded I had seen him.

"Someone else has been staring at you all night." She said and I turned toward her and wanted to correct her about Fandral, but Thor stepped in and laughed loudly, giving me a hug and I had to pass the cup to Sif before I spilled wine all over myself.

Thor looked tired, but happy. A group of young women led by the blonde girl in pink who glared at me again as Thor let me go, followed him like lost puppies. I couldn't help but laugh at him as he helped me keep my balance and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Hey Justin Beiber, going to introduce us to your fan club?" I asked and Sif passed me back the cup, Loki intercepting it and set it on a tray carried by a man as he passed.

"Do you ever speak a language anyone can understand?" Loki asked and Sif laughed at his joke.

'Oh ye of little faith," I said and he rolled his eyes. "I am not the one who tried to force me to cave under the pressure by shoving Fandral at me."

I tapped my chin with the tip of my fingers and the group of women looked shocked at my sudden standing up to Loki. I took it as a sign that everyone was pretty much afraid of crossing him and the mixture of wine and a good time really made me a bit more defiant.

"She is ahead of you on the score." Thor said to Loki and the blonde in pink batted her eyes up at him and giggled, her hanging on every word Thor said was becoming a bit gross and I tried hard not to cringe openly. Loki sighed and remained aloof to everything, a smile crossing his face that really said he was so up to nothing good at all.

"Whatever you are thinking, don't do it." I warned and Thor looked at him as if he agreed.

"I have seen that look before, it means nothing good will come of it." Sif said and glared at him.

"I was planning nothing." Loki said and pretended to look hurt and he looked down.

"I know that smile." I said and planted my hands on my hips as the fan club looked on shocked. "You were so planning something, could I please have a streak of three or more days where no one is beating me up, or I end up in the hospital?"

I sighed and reached for another cup of wine as another man passed us with a tray and Loki stopped my by grabbing my wrist gently. Behind me, I could hear the group of girls take in a shocked breath at the scene, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Then may I suggest you not have anything more to drink?" He said smiling condescendingly down at me, and my hand curled into a fist as I pressed my lips together. I glared at him for a second longer and then broke into laughter and Thor joined in and I pulled my hand back.

"You may have a good idea there." I said and the blonde blinked confused at what she had just seen. She huffed and giggled louder, trying to get Thor to look down at her and I did everything I could not to groan.

"Your fan club is lost." I said to Thor and the blonde glared at me as he laughed at my joke.

"At least I don't have the favor of Loki." She snapped at me, and my head whipped around at her and my mouth fell open.

"Excuse me Blonde Ambition?" I said and noticed that Loki had tensed visibly, probably knowing that I was about to get into some trouble. Sif backed up a bit, and she glared at the girl as well. My fist curled and I fought the urge to use my powers to knock her bony ass across the room.

"Does his kiss chill you? I have always wondered that, he being a half Jotun. Vile and disgusting as he is."

'No one insults my friends bitch." I growled and saw red as I stepped toward her. "You pathetic little hanger on, but if you had more than two brain cells, you would know not to mess with me."

I said and turned to leave and looked at Loki. He looked at the woman and raised a warning finger to her but she cut him off before he could say anything.

"I am insulted you call him a friend, he is a monster and should be in chains." She spat at me, and I saw the look of honest hurt on Loki's face and I pinched my lips together. I felt a hand hit my shoulder as I spun around on Barbie.

"Oh princess, you think he is the scary one, you definitely have not met me. I am not the person with which you should fuck." I said, and Loki tried to calm me, but it was so on.

You can take the girl off Earth, but you can't that the Earth off the girl.

Thor grabbed the blondes shoulders, and Loki pulled my arm back before I could knock the stupid off the girl in front of me. He held my arm back, and pulled back to remind me we were in a gathering, but I did not care at that point.

"I do not fear you….." She started, but I cut her off.

"I'm sorry, all I could here is the whistling caused by the wind passing between your ears." She instantly turned red and her hand shot out and I caught her wrist with my free hand before she could make contact, and she looked at me dumbly. A smile of pure seething rage crossed my face and I looked right at her.

"Oh yeah." I said and smiled wide, her eyes opened in panic as she realized we were about to fight. Loki wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me off my feet as Thor grabbed the brat and they both separated us as it got ugly.

"Brother, perhaps it is time to act as peacekeepers before someone spends the night in the dungeon." Thor said as she struggled against him trying to get to me, and I found a space in Loki's formal armor and delivered an elbow to it as I tried to get at Barbie. He groaned but did not let me go. I reached down and took a shoe off my foot and got ready to throw it at her, and Loki grabbed my wrist with one hand before I could throw it.

"Bitch!" I spat at her with my feet off the floor, and she glared at me and her arms flailed angrily.

"Whore of Loki!" She threw back and I lost it completely and struggled against Loki's grip and I growled.

"No one touches me bitch, and you are one to talk about being a whore. I'm surprised you aren't the bicycle of Asgard. Everyone gets a ride." I said to her as I struggled against Loki. She hissed at me swinging her hands out in anger, and I struggled more.

"Thor, my combatant is feistier than yours, could you please silence yours?" Loki said and laughed a bit and Sif stepped in between us as the room went silent.

"Quim!" She shrieked at me.

"Stupid Blonde!" I spat back and the entire Great Hall went silent as I struggled more, and Loki tightened around my hips painfully, probably bruising me but I didn't care though. I was about to scalp a bitch.

"Let me go Loki," I shouted and he kept holding on. "I want to join the Smack a Hoe Tribe." Sif stopped and looked at me as I struggled and I groaned at her.

"I'll explain it later." I said and worked my hips free and Loki had his arms around my shins and my ass was planted on the side of his head.

"Thor…..loosing her…silk dress…..Sif help!" Loki said as I got a leg free, and I was basically straddling his arms and we both went over like a badly played game of Jenga. I sprang up and Loki grabbed my ankle and pulled be back under him along the marble floor, my dress riding up and bunching around my thighs in the struggle. There was still no way this bitch was getting away with insulting my friends and calling me a whore.

"Tell me something," Blondie spit out and I tried to pull myself out from under Loki, and two guards walked forward to break up the fight before it escalated more.

"Thor says you are an orphan, did your parents die to get away from you?" I froze suddenly, and it felt like the wind got knocked out of me as everyone looked at her as I heard even Loki gasp at what just came out of her mouth.

"If you were my child, I certainly would die to be free of a creature as vile and ugly as you." She said triumphantly, knowing she had won the fight and just took a last cheap shot at me. I looked up at her and saw her smirk, and Loki let me go and I lay on the ground and tried to breathe. Sif reached down for me and I felt hot tears blur the edges of my vision as everyone stood around quietly in disbelief of what was just said.

Without a word, I jumped and reappeared in my room, and allowed myself to lie on the cold marble floor and wrapped myself in pain and memories as I screamed at the ceiling.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

Eventually, I cried myself out.

I was lying on the bed after stripping off the dress and took my hair down. I washed my face and put on the shift Aimee left out for me and buried my face in the pillows and sighed. I had made a total ass of myself this evening and I just wanted to hide myself away for the rest of eternity, I couldn't believe what I did and I was paying for it in spades.

I tried to think how to better fit in. But after tonight, I just wanted to leave this world and return to the one I was born on. I didn't belong here any more it was painfully obvious, and I was tired of being kept in Asgard.

A few knocks came at the door, and someone walked into the room eventually. I pretended to be asleep and a gentle hand touched my side and vanished, whoever it was smoothed the duvet over me and gently folded the top down from my face. I heard the door click shut again and opened my eyes and stared into the darkness in front of me. I groaned into the pillow and eventually dozed off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I dreamed of the trees at night outside Leavenworth in Fall. I was sitting in a patch of stinging nettles, and I heard screams in the distance and saw the fire. In primitive fear I cried out and ran from the flames as fast as my five year old legs could carry me away from the danger. I slapped my hands over my ears, but the screams found their way through the cracks in my fingers. I started screaming myself to drown them out. I cried and sank to the ground and tried not to hear anything.

If I listened long enough, my mind would splinter and I would never come back.

I felt hands grab my arms that burned me through the sleeves of my dress, and my legs kicked and thrashed against the body that held my up. I opened my eyes and looked into the burnt face of my father, and could smell the booze on his breath. The booze that meant I was in for a bad night. I knew that smell well, and I cried out in fear when it hit me in the face.

His hands gripped me harder and his cracking skin was hotter than the sun, I cried out in terror as he gripped me harder and I could feel the blisters start to rise on my skin.

"You did this you little bitch." My father said and His breath reeked of alcohol, burnt flesh, and death. I shook my head as he opened his eyes to show milky orbs that had melted away in their sockets.

I cried and thrashed in terror and tried to get away from him.

"It should have been you. Not her!" He screamed at me and I returned it with my own terror laced cries, pleading with him to let me go. I wanted to wake up desperately, but the primitive side of my brain made me stay locked in this moment with this terrifying demon.

He threw me and I hit the ground as he stood over me, my small body struggled to recover. His fist crashed into my stomach and I lost my breath and cried as I tried to get back up, but he put a foot in the middle of my chest and it left a burn mark where he crushed my ribs and towered over me in the darkness. He grabbed the front of my shirt as he moved his foot away and held me off my feet as he began to stretch his arm back, his fist a ball of fire and I screamed into the darkness.

"Time to burn you murdering little bitch." He said and I screamed as the fire consumed me, and I breathed it in and screamed more and more as the sparks filled the night sky.

I screamed and fell.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I jerked awake with a scream lodged in my throat and looked around me shaking. The cold predawn light filtered into the windows, and I saw that someone had taken away the dress and left a fresh change of clothes of a pair of black leather pants and a royal purple short jacket on the stool next to the tub. The blankets and pillows were thrown all over the immediate area thanks to my nightmare, and I shivered as sweat dried on my body. I pulled my knees up to my chest and sobbed into the shift, using the hem to dry my face as I rocked back and forth.

Eventually, I crawled out of the bed and pulled the shift off over my head as I looked in the mirror, and cried as the memories of the nightmare and the night before flooded back. I couldn't face anyone here again, and I was leaving today.

I washed and dressed, putting the pendant back over my head and grabbed my books and stuffed them all down into my backpack. I debated putting my bracers on, but decided against it and wrapped them into a cloth and shoved them on top of the mass of stuff I had and zipped everything shut angrily.

Shoving my arms through the sleeves of the thigh length jacket, I laced it shut and braided my hair down my back and looked at myself in the mirror one last time. I was a mess, my face and eyes were puffy from crying, and my hair was barely held in place by the one hair tie I owned. I walked over to the vanity and put all my hoops back in and replaced the cartilage piercing in my right ear, looking around the room for anything I may have forgotten. I found nothing and sighed, thinking about how some of the people here tried to break through my shell and tried not to cry again.

I shrugged my backpack onto my back and took a minute to enjoy the familiar weight and headed out into the hallway and toward the main stairs. I slipped my Ray Ban sunglasses on to hide my puffy eyes behind the mirrored lenses. I saw Aimee rushing toward my room and she stopped in front of me, she frowned at my backpack and I waved at her while holding the glasses in my hands.

"Catch you on the flipside Aimee." I said and walked around her and kept moving. She opened her mouth a couple times and followed after me as I kept going.

"Where are you going Lady?" she asked me and I started down the stairs and she walked around in front of me to try and stop me form moving further.

"Back to Earth, and my already screwed up life in progress. Hopefully my old boss will not put a bullet in the old brain pan, he kind of holds a grudge." I replied and slid down the railing of the stairs on my butt and continued to walk down the hall.

"I heard what happened last night," She stammered out as she followed me and grabbed my arm. "Leaving will not make it right, the other woman will be the true winner. There are more reasons for you to stay with us, than there are for you to leave."

"Aimee, do you want to not grab at me this early in the morning?" I sighed at her and she dropped my hand quickly.

"You can't leave, there are people who care about you, and they wish you to stay." She stammered out again as I laughed bitterly to myself as she grabbed my arm again.

"Good pep talk Aimee, I was almost convinced." I said and jerked my arm out of her grasp. "I have to survive, and I'm leaving for the only place I know how to, the only place where the wildlife does not try to eat me."

I turned and she stayed behind me as I continued down the hall and out the main doors, and across the courtyard toward the road to the Bifrost. The posted guards watched me as Aimee followed me, I ignored them and shot one a look that dared him to do anything to stop me. Aimee turned and ran back through the doors, and into the castle.

I blinked in the bright sunlight despite the sunglasses and turned, walking toward home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The maid nearly crashed into Volstagg as the group of them rounded the corner, and Loki and Sif had to calm the mouse haired girl because she was talking too fast and in broken sentences. Loki wanted to shake the girl in his exasperation and he resisted the urge to do so, and the girl took a breath. Her hands shook as Loki looked into her eyes and she focused herself to make herself understood in her panic.

"She took all of her things and went to the Bifrost." Aimee gasped out. "Lady Lilliana wishes to go back to Midgard, she said something about someone killing her there if she did not do work."

Loki released the maid and started running immediately, remembering her talking about the slaver and the illegal things he made her do. His boots screeched to a halt briefly and he turned back to the group.

"Calm her and fetch Thor!" Loki shouted. "Do not bring him to us, the last time he interviened was a disaster. Let me reason with Lilliana before she does anything rash."

He began running again and pushed a woman out of the way carrying a tray of food as he ran across the courtyard and down the central road after the girl.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I cannot open the way for you Lady." Heimdall said and stood firm behind his statement as I groaned audibly at him and threw my hands out in exasperation.

"Why the hell not, Odin said I was not a prisoner. I want to go home." I said and he stayed silent and looked at me with a trace of sadness.

"I cannot open the way for you." He said kindly and I closed my eyes. "Please do not ask me again."

"Then tell Odin, he will let me go. I don't belong here, and I never will." I said and crossed my arms and dared him to deny me again. He sighed and looked at me and I felt more and more frustration building in me. I turned and debated begging him, and I felt hot tears starting to spring forth again.

"You do belong here." Heimdall said. "One is coming now who wants you to stay, a friend who cares. He is followed by others who care."

My mouth opened and I looked at Heimdall in disbelief, and he looked down at me with kind eyes. I looked up at the dome and groaned with my hands on my hips and tried to not scream, and settled for throwing my sunglasses. The clattered off the wall in front of me and I turned on my heel and threw my arms out.

"Oh great, Fandral is going to get a chance to say platitudes and throw himself at my feet." I rolled my eyes and picked up the now broken sunglasses. "This should be so much fun. I'd rather be hated by a rabid Koala."

"Would you settle for me scolding you and calling you an imbecile?" Loki asked as he entered the room and stopped to catch his breath and glared at me. I pointed at him and shook my head as he collected himself, and I stomped toward him as my anger rose.

"Even worse, you!" I said and pointed at him as he smirked. "You should have let me wipe the floor with that blonde bitch."

I looked around for something more to throw, and settled on the broken sunglasses in my hand and chucked them at him. He blocked them with the palm of his hand and he looked at me angrily and put up a finger to warn me against doing that again, he stepped toward me as the glasses clattered somewhere off to the side. I backed away and tripped over my own feet in my sudden fear as he kept coming. I threw my arms up over my head and curled into a ball. Loki crouched down next to me and helped me stand back up, I looked at him in shock and he put a hand on my shoulder.

"What she said was inexcusable, vile at best, but running away will change nothing that was done or said." He said and stepped back from me, smoothing his hair back and sitting down on the steps to the platform.

"What do you fucking know?" I said and leaned back against the wall and looked down at my feet, I hated when people came off all wise without knowing the struggles I went through. Like they ever knew what it was like to walk in my shoes, I paced back and forth like a caged animal and glared at him.

"I know being hurt, being made to believe one thing, and having lies fed to you, one after another, until you cannot see truth. I know the anger in you, and you said it yourself, you hold it in long enough it is allowed to fester. It becomes all you know, and eventually it is all you are." Loki said and leaned forward on his knees and he looked up at me as I paced, confused and feeling lost.

"You don't know me, and you never will. Who the hell are you to judge my life and tell me that you know what I have been through? You wouldn't last five damn minutes in my shoes." I spat out at him and he looked at me coolly. I was annoyed he tried to get into my head, and I was even more annoyed now that he was sitting there letting me pace and judging me as if I need his condescending ass right now.

"Then tell me who you are." Loki said and I shook my head to say no. No one was getting in that easy, and I was sick of people trying to.

"Who made you feel worthless, who told you that you were to blame for the death of your parents? Who made you feel pain and humiliation?" He asked me and his questions were a punch in the stomach. I put my hands up to my face and looked for an escape, and found none.

"Let me go home." I said and Loki looked down and sighed.

I sank down to my butt and wrapped my arms around my knees and tried not to cry, and rested my forehead on my knees and tried to think of a way out of the mess I was currently in. My brain worked in circles and I rocked back and forth as I tried to think, I looked up at Loki and he opened his hands to me.

"You have nothing there for you Lilliana," He reasoned and I looked up at him. "If you go back to the life you once had, you will be alone again. And your future will be a hard and lonely road."

He looked at me with open hands and I felt so deflated under the weight of the truth.

"Answer my questions first," I said, and backed against the wall until I felt my bag bump it, and I leaned my head against it sorrowfully.

"And don't lie." I said in challenge and he opened his hands again to me and raised his eyebrows.

"Fair," He said and pressed his lips together. "A truth for a truth."

I crossed my legs in front of me and rested my elbows on them and looked down at the floor and began to scratch my hand. Loki cleared his throat and I looked up at him and he made the motion of scratching his hand, and I stopped and rubbed my palms over my knees.

"Why did you try to take over the Earth?" I asked him and he stood up and turned his back to me like he was going to leave. I stood up quickly and watched him and he stopped moving and removed his knee length brown leather vest and set it aside.

I watched him, afraid of what he was doing, but he never made a sudden move. He then took the hem of his tunic and raised it over his head and I gasped at the sight of his back. Standing on shaking legs, I walked forward and put my hand on one of the multitude of scars that crossed his back, from his shoulders to the waistband of his pants. My fingers traced one and I felt a lump rise in my throat as he stood quietly, his personal hell marked out for everyone to always see in his skin. He jumped a bit as my fingers traced one that stretched from his left shoulder and down his back to his waist and I stepped back to let him put his clothes back on.

"Who did this to you?" I asked with a thick voice as he turned back around and shrugged his vest back onto his shoulders. It took every fiber to fight back the tear that rolled down my cheek, and I still lost that battle. I wiped it away quickly and he studied me for a moment and sat back down.

"A being tortured me, or had his men do it." He said and looked at me and I wanted to scream and hug him, but I stayed rooted to my spot.

"I was forced to lead the Chituari and my mind was poisoned by a power you will never understand. This being wanted to remove Midgard as a threat to his plans and I broke under his cruelty, I agreed to do so. He promised me a crown for serving him, and demanded my loyalty in return. Eventually, I failed so there is now a price on my head. I told you it was unpleasant business." Loki said and looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. But even you know that truth is sometimes horrible." I replied and he nodded at me.

"I ask that you keep this in your confidence." He said and I frowned at him not fully understanding.

"Anyone can break under torture, a person can take only so much cruelty before they agree to anything to end it. Even someone like Thor would eventually break. Everyone would understand if you just told them, give people the benefit of doubt and just try to make them understand." I said and he smiled sadly at me, I looked down and stopped talking.

"I will reveal it to them in my own time." He said and looked back up at me and waited patiently. I sat back down, and crossed my legs, resting my arms on my knees and looked at Loki.

"People will surprise you if you give them a chance." I said, and he opened his hands again. A thin smile played across his lips as he looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

"You are avoiding my question." He said and looked at me. I took the queue to start talking, but I couldn't bring myself to spill that part of myself. I struggled with my inner self for a moment and looked up at him in fear, some parts of myself were off limits to everyone.

"I don't want to play Whose Life is More Messed Up." I said and swallowed. "I want to go home."

"We had a deal Little Mouse, and this is not a game." He said and his eyes glanced down briefly as I looked at him.

"Promise not to judge me?" He looked back at me, and I took in a breath.

"You have my word, I will not judge you or make you feel inferior." He said and I sighed and looked up at the circular patterns on the domed ceiling and worked up the courage to walk a road I tried to put a fence across a long time ago.

"My dad was a cool guy when he was sober." I said and Loki watched me as he listened, no judgment crossing his face.

"Like, really cool. He was smart and had a great job as a NASA researcher, it is a a government science dedicated to studying space. He could do the most amazing stuff too. He could design the most intricate circuits for computer components, and he was like me, way too smart for our own good, photographic memory like mine. He told me that my Mom made him feel like the world was amazing, even when he did not see it that way. She was not overly smart, but she could make you feel normal by just standing next to her. She was diagnosed with Stage Four Small Cell Lung Cancer the same day she found out she was pregnant with me. The doctors told her that she should terminate the pregnancy and begin treatment immediately. But Stage Four is a death sentence and she knew it, and she chose to carry me to term."

'I overheard a couple of his coworkers say at his funeral that my Dad started drinking right after she died and I was born." I sighed and tried not to bawl.

"He was the worst kind of person when he was drunk, he was cruel and he hit me, told me that it was my fault and that she should have just aborted me when she could to save her own life. But sober, he would cross oceans for me, and he laughed more." I paused and took in a breath and shivered at the memory of my dreams from last night. Loki said nothing, and had a pained look on his face as he shifted in his seat.

"Eventually his family started avoiding him, and I got the same label as not being worth their time. I grew up in a family that hated me, and the guilt by association became too much. So I'm a black sheep, I guess every family needs one. But when no one will take you in because you don't cry at your Father's funeral, it tends to really drive the point home."

"On my fifth Birthday, my Dad took me to a costume parade in a town in the mountains called Leavenworth. He bought me my first ever Halloween Costume and I was so excited to pick it out, and carry my pumpkin bucket to get treats."

"Halloween?" He asked and I laughed forgetting that they probably did not have the celebration here.

"It's a celebration that we have, we wear costumes and silly clothes. We go to peoples houses and they give us candy and treats. Kids love it, and we carve faces into pumpkins to scare away ghosts and tell scary stories." I said and he nodded and smiled.

"I was going to be a princess, and Dad was one month sober. It was the best month of my life, and he was happy to take me out and parade me around. I walked in the parade, got so much candy I was sick, ate apples, and won prizes in the games. I even had a stupid plastic crown I wore and I looked completely ridiculous. Dad found a bar, he got hammered and I sat in the car while he drank."

"When he came out of the bar, he smacked me around and I started crying. All the way down the road, he kept telling me how he was tired of me, how I cost him too much, and how he should just find a river and drown me. The worst part, I believed every word of it, and could never figure out how just being born could make someone hate you so much. I would have crawled over broken glass to get out of that car and be free of him."

"My own father wanted to kill me, and I almost welcomed it." I said and held back tears as Loki looked at me and Heimdall shifted quietly, listening as he turned his head and looked at me.

"He passed out and the car went off the road, I unhooked my seat belt to grab the wheel, but I was not fast enough, and I was thrown through the windshield when the car hit the tree and stopped. I was scraped and cut, but out of the car. He was pinned by the engine and the car caught fire. I sat in the leaves, surrounded by Halloween Candy, bleeding and listened to him scream as he burned and died. The man who taught me I was nothing, and would never really be anything, screamed my name in his last minutes of life as I sat and watched."

Loki stood up and looked at me as he paced back and forth, processing what he had heard and looked at me. I stood up and backed toward the wall, he looked at me and I stepped back again in instinct. He approached me and put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me.

"Never believe the words of a drunken man, especially one filled with venom and rage." Loki said and removed the bag from my shoulders and. "Trust is a horrible thing to loose in a person, and yours was ripped from you with words and fists."

"Michael hit me too. And did much worse." Loki looked at me and Heimdall stepped forward. His hand out in case I needed help.

"He forced himself on you?" Loki growled and I stepped back quickly at his anger. Shrinking as I looked up at him, I could see him look over at Heimdall and he looked back at me and held his hand out for mine.

"No, but he tried." I said and put my arms around myself and felt my back hit the wall, guilty in my confession. Some big powerful being I must have looked like to him.

"Please don't tell anyone any of this." I begged him, and he turned and looked at me and smiled.

"Of course Little Mouse." He said and set my bag down and wrapped his arms around me. "You have my confidence, and my word that any of this will be never said again."

I sighed and relaxed into his hug and he let me stop shaking and he pushed me away and looked at me seriously, and put both of his hands on either side of my face.

"You have a strength in you that I appreciate." Loki said. "And you have a mind I wish to nurture. I want to show you so much, but if you leave I cannot open you to a universe that is yours to hold." I looked at him and I put my hand up on his wrist.

"Will you stay, you are not the only person here who feels they do not belong, but you will find your place. I promise you that." He said to me and the crazy part of it all….I believed him.

"And If I don't?" I asked Loki and he smiled.

"It is a big Universe, we will find your place." He replied and I smiled at him and nodded.

I looked at Heimdall who had his back to us and I groaned a bit and walked over to him. He looked down at me and I touched his arm and he smiled as he looked out the window.

"I betray no secrets." He said and I smiled and let him return to his duties of watching the universe.

Loki picked up my bag and walked me toward the entrance to the bridge and I sighed and looked down at my hands and saw the familiar red twinkle on my thumb, the memory of a ghost that I had carried for too long and I slipped the ring off my finger and walked to the edge of the bridge and looked out at the vast nothing in the cosmos. Loki tried to grab my hand and I pulled away as he walked up and I put the ring out in my hand and he stood nearby and watched me as I held the ring out and watched the garnet twinkle in the sun.

'Lilliana?' Loki said and I stood there on the edge of the bridge, and held it out over the void, and I could sense him growing concerned.

I let go of the ring, and watched it as it tumbled away into the darkness, and eventually became nothing as it fell. I watched it and Loki put a hand of my shoulder and he understood why I did it, I had to let go if all those years of guilt and insecurities.

I had to say goodbye and put that part of my past in a grave and cover it over.

"I had to let go of a ghost that haunted me." I said and he stood next to me as I watched the stars dance in their own way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The impossibly shaped battle cruiser traveled through the nebula dragging a cloud of cosmic dust and ionized gasses in its wake. Its gyrating wings out and moving silently as it passed, propelling the army and The Presence on toward an ultimate goal. He stood on the deck of the bridge and could nearly taste her screams as he ran his hand over his bald head, his eyes scanning the space ahead.

The male body he occupied was human, a disguise to easily attract the girl in like the sticky sweet sap of the Venus Fly Trap. Only camouflage meant to attract so another body could be consumed and he looked down and adjusted his long black robes as he watched, sensing her before him and desiring the power inside her.

A Kree soldier approached him and gave him a salute and bow. The Presence turned and looked at the pathetic creature and smiled.

"One more jump to Asgard sir, the army is prepared to attack, and the ships are waiting to be launched on your command." He reported and The Presence smiled. The battle brave Kree soldier nearly recoiled in horror from the smile and collected himself quickly.

"Tell your men that no prisoners will be taken, except for one. They may kill as they wish, but the girl is to be brought to me alive." He replied as activity began all over the ship. Docking bays began opening their outer pressure doors, and regiments of ground troops began to fall in for the invasion and attack. Weapons and armor were double and triple checked and The Presence watched as the last Jump Gate opened in front of him.

He focused his thoughts and found her among the Asgardians, he found her much changed and frowned at her new found strength. It would be no matter in the end, for she would gratefully hand over her power to him eventually, and he would absorb it.

Two violet eyes opened in his mind, and he imagined cutting them out of her face as she screamed.

Silently, the ship passed through the Jump Gate and he used his abilities to hide himself and the ship from the watcher, no sense in alerting them until the attack began.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What is a Jotun?" I asked Loki as we walked the dirt road and he obviously did not want to answer my question. I shrugged and I kicked a rock and it skipped off into the woods and turned around again quietly on the dirt path, swinging my arms out as he stood still.

"You remember that from last night." He said to me and I let his statement hang in the air, and shrugged again.

"I've heard it a couple of times." I said and nodded. "Not that it is any difference to me what you are. I'm part Japanese and neither one of us really look any different from anyone else." I looked at him and held my hand up next to his face and made my point by comparing skin colors. I turned and started walking again, but he stayed still and I turned back.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I just was wondering, everyone is different on Earth, and we celebrate it instead of being bigoted and total assholes about it." I shrugged and stepped up onto a low rock wall and balanced on it and slowly turned around to see Loki standing with blue skin and red eyes. There were ridges and markings on his face and hands and I looked at him and stepped down from the wall, curious and smiled at him as I walked around his back. He watched me circle for a moment and I reached up to touch one of the ridges on his face and he flinched back.

"Jotun is another word for Frost Giants." He said and I looked at Loki and he looked away from me in shame as I stepped around and looked at him.

"Can I touch your skin?" I asked and he turned his red eyes to me and looked shocked at my question and rolled up his sleeve and held his arm out to me. I put my hand out and touched his cold skin and smiled.

"This is so cool." I said and I turned his arm in my hands to look at the markings that traced his hands. 'You are cold, but warm when you are in your other form."

"Why are you not afraid?" He asked me and I looked back up at him and gave a snort and looked at the markings on his face. I shook my head and laughed to myself.

"Why should I be? This is so cool, and you are still you in there aren't you? I am guessing that people here are not so accepting, and that is their stupidity there. On Earth, people have different races in their blood all the time, like I said, I'm part Japanese. It is probably why I am so short, but it does not make me something horribly bad. We have people who are part African, and we accept them because they are cool people. If anyone tells you suck because you are who you are, tell them to deal with me. I will tell them to eat a bag of dicks." I said and crossed my arms over my chest as he looked at me and he shifted back into his normal skin tone.

"I am not a monster to you?" He looked at me and swallowed hard as I tilted my head at him and laughed.

"Really? I so need to tell everyone here off. Because it looks to me that Asgard is a bunch of bigots that needs a bitch slap. And look at Sif and Thor, they accept you. Even if I think you are a major pain in the ass, you are still a manageable pain in the ass." I said and he gave me a scolding look about my swearing.

'Little Mouse." He warned me as we began walking again

"I know Magic Dance, the language. But I will cuss people out if I have to, so just accept it." I sighed.

"It diminishes your intelligence, and is not becoming." He said and I stepped back up on the wall and balanced on it carefully.

"I will work on it." I said and did a handstand on the wall idly, yeah I was showing off, and then swinging my legs backwards to bring myself back upright. He watched me mildly impressed, but still looked worried about showing me what he was.

"I know you don't really believe me yet, but it really does not bother me." I said and hopped down off the wall.

"It does explain why you are so tall though. Like massively tall, how is the weather up there?" I said and he laughed at my joke and relaxed himself.

"I will only tell you if you tell me how the ground looks." He quipped back and I looked down and laughed.

"It is still there." I said and he looked around him and squinted.

"No rain." He replied and I laughed and threw my head back and he joined in as we walked a bit more and I had to stop to catch my breath for a bit. As we walked and started singing "Let it Go" from the Disney Movie and laughed as I came to the end. Loki rolled his eyes and I had to lean against a tree as I caught my breath again, and I wiped my eyes.

"And you call me the obnoxious one." He said and I laughed.

"Yeah, well, I guess we are friends now. I can so teach you some pretty obnoxious things too." I said to him and he smiled.

"Now that sounds like fun." He replied and I laughed.

"You know, this place is not quite paradise, but it feels like home sometimes." I said and he smiled at me and we walked on and I turned another handstand and walked a bit on my hands, he grabbed my ankles and pushed me over and I flipped around and stood up. Dizzy as the blood rushed from my head. I gave him a snarky look as he smiled at me, and turned again as we both walked through the gates to the palace and I groaned and looked as I saw everyone standing and waiting in the courtyard and the looked up at me. I threw my hands out and rolled my eyes.

"Is this in intervention? Because if it is, I am throwing myself off the Bifrost." I said and Fandral and Thor both looked at me in a panic. And I put my hands up in a defensive gesture and stepped back silently.

"Can anyone here understand sarcasm?" I said and threw my hands out, eliciting a few nervous laughs from the group, and Sif uncrossed her arms and walked toward me and smiled.

"We are just glad you chose to stay with us, we would have missed you if you had left." She said and hugged me as everyone watched.

"I think this is turning on the men in our messed up family." I said and Sif laughed into my hair and held fast. She pulled back and smiled at Loki and he shrugged as she began leading me back to the group.

"What did ye say to the lass ta keep her here Loki?" Volstagg asked, and Loki looked at the group. I let my smile drop in panic and my heart sank into my shoes.

"True things. And I will not break her confidence." He replied coolly and I smiled at him and the ground began vibrating under my feet.

I looked up confused, and everyone else joined in as we looked at the sky and around us. Everyone jerked to attention as sirens began wailing above our heads and guards scrambled around us to close the castle doors. Loki grabbed my arm and we all ran through the archway and down the halls, we all ran as fast as we could. I tripped and hit the marble ground hard and yelped in pain and felt Loki picked me up and kept running.

"What is going on?" I asked him as he carried me through the halls, diving to the side as armed men ran the opposite way past us. I shook in fear as he put me back down and pulled me through the doors to the Throne Room where Odin stood and looked out a window with concern crossing his face. I scanned the room, finding everyone in a state of panic as Odin barked orders and men ran about.

"We are under attack." Thor said and addressed Odin, Loki put his hand on my shoulder to steady me and I looked up at him and tried not to cry. Everyone suddenly pointed at an open window, and I turned to see what they were looking at.

I broke free from Loki and ran to a window and watched as a dome of light began forming around the castle and the shrieking sirens silenced. I took in heavy breaths as an elongated black ship broke the atmosphere, and watched as it propelled itself forward and smaller drop ships and fighters began leaving it like beetles and gnats against the blue sky. I stepped back in shock and watched in horror of the war that began to open up before me.

I felt a stab of pain like a needle pierce my brain and I shrieked, clutching my head as my nose suddenly began to bleed. Thor and Loki grabbed my arms and it went away, I felt someone clean the blood off my face and I shook my head as a ship crashed into the shield. I threw up my arms by instinct alone to protect myself as it exploded ineffectively, and a scream ripped loose in my throat as panic took over.

"Who are they? What do they want?" I asked Loki and he looked at me and helped me stand back up.

"The Kree, a formidable race based on military tactics alone. They obviously want you, and we are going to prevent that." He replied and I watched as the turret guns of Asgard returned fire and tried not to cry or scream at what I had brought to this world. I slipped my hand into Loki's and he looked down at it and gave it a reassuring squeeze as his clothes changed in front of me into battle armor.

"This is my fault, once again I'm screwing everything up just by being alive." I said and Loki turned on me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Your life is not the only reason they are here. Stop making yourself the blame for calamities you cannot control. They may have come for you, but there will always be someone out there who will hunt you, this entire castle will not allow you to be taken." He said as another crash against the shields made me jump and yelp out.

A hand crashed down on Loki's shoulder, he spun and shoved me behind him defensively, the tails of his coat whipping against my legs as he turned and locked eyes with Thor. He looked down at me as I wrapped my hand around Loki's arm and he made it his business to ignore my fear and sudden need for another breathing person I could trust. I screamed as something below us exploded and tightened my grip on his arm and Loki pulled me around next to him. I was like a small child, scared and defenseless, and Thor looked at me and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Get her to safety Brother, you know secret ways out of Asgard and can hide her better than we." Thor said and I shook but moved forward to protest.

"I can fight." I said, but the shaking in my voice betrayed me and I tried to hide that I was scared out of my wits.

"Betray us or her, and we will hunt you until the end of time, there will be no safe harbor for you." Thor warned, and Loki rolled his eyes as Thor reached out again and put his hand on my shoulder.

"You are not ready for full combat," Thor said and looked into my eyes. "Defend yourself, but do not seek out a fight. You are my sister in my heart, and I will look for you, trust in all of us Lady" He grabbed me into a hug, and crushed me to him as something else exploded in the castle and Loki pulled me away from Thor.

"Time is not on our side it seems." Loki said and he ran with me toward a part of the castle I had not seen before. He handed me my backpack and I slipped my arms through the straps as we moved.

"Follow me and stay close, if you fall I will carry you. Do not try to engage anyone you see but defend yourself." He said and we ran down a cramped hall that felt smaller than it was, we turned down a corridor and I followed him and we slowed our pace to a walk.

"Where are we going?" I asked and tripped over a piece of masonry that had fallen down from one of the explosions, Loki grabbed my arm to help me stay upright as some guards ran past us back the way we had come from and I jumped as something exploded outside the castle.

"I am taking you someplace secure, and if needed, to a portal between the realms I know of." He said and looked at me, taking my hand in his and pulling me along. He checked around the corner of a turn cautiously and then began pulling me forward again when the whole world exploded around us and I was thrown back against a wall painfully.

I hit the ground hard in a heap, and Loki flew into me slamming me back down as he was thrown backwards. I saw stars and groaned in a bit of pain when small round device rolled past us and his eyes went wide, I understood his expression as he threw himself on top of me and I threw out some energy to protect us both. I covered my ears and opened my mouth to protect my eardrums from the concussion as the fire and explosion traveled up and over us ineffectively and let the shield down and Loki looked down at me in surprise, and embarrassment.

"I got your back, and you got mine." I said, he chuckled and helped me back up as two blue skinned men walked around the corner and lowered their weapons at the two of us. I gasped at them as Loki pushed me behind him and from somewhere in his coat he produced two knives in each hand and threw them expertly, catching each of the men in the chest. In the reflex of dying, one pulled the trigger on his weapon and the shot went past my ear and slammed into a statue behind me, causing it to explode in a haze of dust and stone. I coughed and covered my eyes as the dust settled, and found Loki turning on me, he moved my hair and turned my head, studying me as his hand found my shoulder. I slapped at his hand instinctively before he could touch further down my body, and he looked at me.

"Are you hurt?" Loki asked from far away as my eyes fixed on the dying Kree and I shook, the first waves of nausea hitting me and I fought the urge to vomit. I had never seen anyone die like that before, and Loki turned my face to his.

"Are you hurt?" He asked me again. "Don't look at them, and tell me if you were hit!"

I snapped out of myself and shook my head and tried not to be sick, as I focused on his eyes and tried not to scream as another explosion rocked the castle.

"No." I said and his hand closed around my wrist and he pulled me another direction as more Kree soldiers entered the castle, firing their weapons at us as we ducked around a corner, one shot missing Loki by inches as we ran.

Loki swung me around and pinned me up against a wall again as the stonework exploded above us and he used his power to freeze the men, encasing them in ice as they advanced. I screamed out as another explosion shook the masonry around me, and he pivoted again to stab one in the throat and pulled he knife out as the dying man gurgled around his own blood, he then pivoted around and gripped the soldier's head and shoulders and broke his neck with a sickening pop as I shoved my fist up into my mouth and tried not to scream.

Loki looked up at me and I backed away scared of everything I saw, I tried to step away from the blood that was crawling slowly toward me. I shook my head in shock, and looked up at Loki who put the knife away and scooped me up and carried me over the bodies, and continued running with me.

"No more, no more." I said into his neck and he stopped and put me down and grabbed my face with his hands, and looked me in the eyes.

"Calm yourself." He said and I looked at him. "All this is a temporary horror, I will allow you to fall apart later, but now you have to keep you wits about you. I cannot carry you all the way. I need my hands free should we be attacked again."

I took in a deep breath as he looked at me and I nodded my understanding, and nausea threatened to make me vomit again.

"Where are we going?" I cried out again as my lungs burned in my chest from the running and I stepped back from him as he stood there. He reached out for my hand and I pulled away from him as the castle shook again, and I looked around me in fear.

"We need to keep moving, the weapons vault is heavily fortified and secure. No one can get you there." He said and another, closer explosion rocked the hall we were in and masonry rained down on me again as I covered my head. Someone screamed in the distance, and I shook.

"I can't." I gasped and he grabbed my arm and began to run, but I planted my feet and shook my head to say no. I pulled back and tried to fight with him, and he looked at me with annoyance.

"It will be safe." He replied, but I refused to move, and I started shaking at the thought of being in an enclosed area with no escape. Panic shook me to my core, and I trembled again. He lifted me up over his shoulder and I fought against him and kicked, I wiggled free and stood across the hall from him and he grabbed for me again.

"I'm claustrophobic!" I screamed at him as panic really set in, "Please, I can't go in there, don't make me go into a room with no windows!"

I tried to make him understand, and he reached out for me and grabbed my arm and led me down a different hall.

"We have no other choice!" He shouted out and he lifted me over his shoulder again in a fireman's carry as my fists beat at his back and I screamed as he walked across an open courtyard. Raw panic wrapped a fist around my throat and I screamed and thrashed as I heard him open a door, I couldn't handle the thought of going into that room.

"Please don't make me!" I begged him again and he put me down on the walkway and stopped. He looked at me and I gripped the edge of the wall and shook and cried, repeating my plea over and over until it became my mantra.

"Is it that terrible for you?" He asked me gently, and I nodded hard enough to dislodge my brain. He pulled me away from the door to the vault and through another door back into the castle.

"A different plan then." He said and pushed me behind him as the lights shook in their sconces and dust filtered down onto us as another explosion went off somewhere in the castle. I looked at him and his hand came up and cupped my cheek and I knew he understood that I could not be in that space, and that he understood that fear.

"I will take you through to Vaneheim, there is a cramped cave we must go through, so I will have you close your eyes as we pass. It is brief and I am right here. When we get through, it will be an open field." Loki said to reassure me and I nodded as he walked around a corner and motioned for me to stay behind as he pulled his knife from in his coat and put his finger to his lips to tell me to be very quiet.

He vanished around the corner silently and I pressed my back against the wall and closed my eyes as I waited for him to come back, counting each pounding heartbeat until he returned for me. I put my hands on the stone wall behind me and calmed my breathing down as much as I could and began scratching at my hand nervously and stopped myself when a person stopped in front of me, causing my eyes to snap open and Loki grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the wall. I followed him blindly as eight Kree came around the corner in pursuit and I ducked as one of them shot the wall over my head.

"This is your plan?" I shouted at him as a wooden door exploded ahead of us in a shower of splinters that fell on the both of us and got caught in my hair as we pushed ahead.

'Not exactly!" He yelled back at me as smoke filled the hall and made me choke and cough.

"Keep running!" Loki shouted and pushed me in front of him, and we turned and ran down another hall and through an archway that opened in to a garden to be greeted by five more Kree and they turned their weapons on us as I stopped dead.

"I think this plan just backfired." I said and put my hands up to show I was unarmed, Loki turned and kept me behind him and I put my hands on his waist as he kept turning in a circle with the knife in his hand. The group that chased us down the hall charged into the garden and turned their weapons on the both of us and Loki continued turning with me behind him, and I shook knowing we were caught.

"Loki?" I said as I shook and my voice caught in my throat, I I turned and put my back to his. "What do we do now?"

A needle like pain shot through my head again, and I dropped to my knees as my nose bled again, I grabbed my head with both hands and screamed as the pain ripped through my brain. A bald man dressed in all black stepped forward and looked at me as I huddled on the ground and a trickle of blood dripped into the grass between my knees before the pain cut off completely, I cried out at the sudden lack of feeling. I looked up at him and tried not to cry out as the pain returned and I wound my fingers into my hair, trying not to cry as more blood fell over my chin.

"Your fear is delicious Lilliana." The man said as he looked down on me from twenty feet away with soulless black eyes, Loki crouched down behind me and put an arm around my shoulders as he stretched his arm out with the knife and threatened the man with it as he looked at the two of us with dead calm.

"Your pain will taste even better, I imagine." He said and Loki started shaking, the man smiled in a way that made me want to scream in pure, cold blooded terror as he looked at the both of us like we were insects. I wrapped my hands up around Loki's arm and tried to hide under him as I looked up in fear, everything about this man told me I was dead.

"Let me taste your screams Lilliana. Let us start now, while your friend takes you apart slowly." He said and blinked and I felt Loki's hand slip to my throat and his long fingers gripped my jaw painfully, his fingertips digging into the skin and crushing my mandible.

"You can't have her." Loki choked out obviously fighting something in himself and he began shaking and fighting as his muscles contracted and tightened on my jaw further, his knife hand turning white with the strain of his inner struggle. I yelped around my teeth in pain, and the fingers tightened as I tried to get free.

"Unwise Loki." The man said and I cried out as Loki's fingers tightened on my jaw again, bruising me. "For that I will make you cut both of her hands off, and then you may tear her heart out with your bare hands when she begs for death. For now though, start with her eye. Then take the other one, slowly, and listen to her scream."

His whole body went rigid and shook fighting as the knife turned in his hand, I cried out and grabbed the arm holding my jaw. He fought against the control over him and my body squirmed around in his grip, but the knife drew closer to me and I tried to break away from him. His hand on my jaw shook me violently, as he began to sweat in the strain. I shivered and tried not to cry as he gripped me, his elbow digging into my sternum to hold me still.

"Stop." I said but the knife kept coming forward, and Loki began breathing hard and raggedly, his muscles contracting and releasing with his lack of control over them, and I dug my fingernails into his wrist drawing blood and I cried out as he fought further to take back control of his mind.

"This isn't you. Fight it. Please." I said and Loki groaned in my ear as I tried to shove my head through his chest to get away from the knife point. I began screaming as it came closer and closer to my face, wiggling my legs back between his and trying to find any give in the arm that pinned me in place. A tear traced down my cheek and onto the back of his hand and I cried out and shook. The knife point brushed my thick eye lashes and I screamed again. Loki's breathing becoming more and more ragged as panic gave way to acceptance, as his entire mind slipped away and was taken over by the man as he watched the two of us struggle.

Suddenly, in a half second I pictured the Washington Coast and I let my jump take him with me with that familiar, queasy pull in my stomach as I screamed again and felt something soft and pliable under my knees before I passed out against his chest.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

I woke up, wrapped in a green and black leather coat and someone holding me tight to them in their arms and felt safe. A bonfire crackling nearby, but everything was cold and my senses slowly took in my surroundings as I stirred a bit more. I shivered and whimpered and saw that it was night and I could hear the ocean somewhere in the background, beyond the heart I heard beating under my ear. I shifted and moaned, my joints aching and the exhaustion so overwhelming.

The arms around me tightened gently and a hand came up and brushed my hair in soft motions, smoothing it to soothe me and I only focused on the cold that wrapped itself around me and moaned again as I heard a voice rumble in the chest beneath me. The fire was almost too bright, and I lay still and continued to listen to the heart beating under my ear. The glow from the fire illuminated the sand and made it glitter and I shifted again. The arms tightened around me and a hand found my cheek and brushed it.

"Lay still." Loki said and closed the coat around me. "You exhausted yourself when you used your powers in a panic."

"Where are we?" I asked him in the darkness and his breathing was calm, my eyes were so very heavy with exhaustion and I yawned into my hand.

"I don't know, you brought us here." He said and I groaned from the cold in me again, he shushed me in the darkness. I sighed and closed my eyes and squeezed them shut as a pain wrapped from my back to my stomach.

"I think it is Earth." I said and I felt myself drift away again as I shivered against the cold and I felt the coat wrap tighter around me as I sat in his lap in the darkness and he made the fire larger using his powers.

"I'm so cold." I whimpered as I drifted back to sleep, he sat quietly and moved closer to the fire as I embraced the blackness of dreamless sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When they landed in the sand, Loki felt the last of The Presence's mind break with his. Lilliana's body was limp against him with her head back against his shoulder, and her lips and eyes ringed in blue. He felt her cold skin for any signs of life and let out a hesitant breath as he felt a shallow breath against the tips of his fingers from between her lips. He looked at the knife in his hand and put it away, gently laying her out in the sand supporting her neck as she rolled onto her side. Dark bruises had already begun to fade on her jaw, and he shook at what he had almost done. He felt he neck for a pulse, and could not find one and ended up opening her coat in a panic and pressing his ear to her chest and heard a light fluttering beat in her rib cage as the fragile muscle fought to keep life in her.

He left her laying in the sand and walked down the beach to the water where he screamed his throat raw, desperate to rid his mind of the images of suffering that filled his mind moments before. Watched the surf come and go as he paced back in forth in anger. He dropped to his knees and screamed again and was grateful she was unconscious, he knew she would have been terrified of him in that moment and he screamed up to the sky and ripped at his hair as images of her tied and his hands cutting her open filled his head.

Visions he hated himself for having and felt nothing but venom toward the man who put them into his mind as he nearly cut the girl.

Bit by bit, he collected himself and walked back over to Lilliana and he checked her again. Finding the bruises gone from her jaw, but her lips were still blue. Color was coming back to her and her breath came and went in a steady pace. He lifted her carefully, and removed the backpack from her shoulders and laid her back in the sand as he removed his coat, putting her arms into his sleeves and carefully putting it on her shoulders. She was dwarfed by it, and he closed it around her as he lifted her and carried he over to a driftwood log and settled her into the sand on the side away from the cold offshore wind to preserve any warmth that may still be in her body.

He carefully rested her head on her backpack and left her briefly to drag another driftwood log back close to them and looked up at the cloudy gray skies that threatened rain. He worked furiously and made a ring around it, carefully keeping one eye on Lilliana as she lay in the sand and he finished digging the makeshift fire pit, trying to forget what had happened and tried not to think about what could have been.

Finishing his task and exhausted, he sat down heavily on the log above her and groaned, letting his face fall into his hands and looked down at her peaceful form finding that he envied her for it at that moment as he brushed sand off of her forehead carefully. His own thoughts were a storm, and he tried to forget everything as he grew tired from his exertion and fighting an enemy that could invade his mind. He watched as the light dimmed on her face as the soft pink of her lips faded back, knowing that the sun was setting behind the heavy clouds.

With guilt, he opened her eye carefully and felt relief to see it intact but not truly focusing on anything, he leaned forward and let her eye close and tried to shake the guilt of what he had almost done. He slid off the log and pulled her into his lap and cradled her to keep her warmer.

When the sun set, the temperature around them dropped and he used his power to ignite the dry log and he watched it burn with the sleeping girl in his arms. The cold did not bother him in the least, but it would be a problem for her in her weakened state and he worried she would never open he eyes again. He would not loose her though, he promised himself that. He would make deals to keep her alive should he have to, and in the full darkness of the night he sent out prayers to whoever was listening, and begged the fates to favor her.

Hours passed and he fought dozing to keep watch over her, small movements from the bundle of leather made his eyes snap open as she shifted against him and he tightened his hold around her. She was horribly disoriented and her body shivered uncontrollably after mumbling that she had brought them to Midgard. He urged her to go back to sleep, and made the fire higher after tightening the coat around her. He slipped her ice cold hands inside the sleeves and rested his chin on the top of her head and watched the fire carefully until the rhythm of her breathing coupled with the ocean made his eyes drift closed and he soon fell asleep with her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the distance I heard an alarm and a river.

Not an alarm though, an annoying melody that repeated over and over until I opened my eyes and groaned. Something shifted under my cheek and I heard a drum pounding, strong and steady in rhythm and I tried to hide from both sounds. I opened my eyes and the melody stopped. I put my hand out and I felt sand and drew my hand back in and across a chest, I found myself laying on top of Loki and I shifted my head to look up at him from his shoulder and I blinked to clear my head as he tightened his arm around me. His arm was around my back and I opened my eyes wider in shock as his opened and looked at me.

"Hi." He said and just stared at me as I sat up carefully and woke up more and more, trying to put together the puzzle around me. I looked up at the sky and saw thick gray clouds. I looked over the driftwood log that I was against and saw the ocean and looked down to see I was wearing Loki's jacket and I rubbed my face and shook as everything came back to me slowly. I remembered running through the castle, Loki killing Kree soldiers and protecting me, and the knife edging toward my face while an emotionless man stared down at the both of us. I shook and I tried to shrug off the jacket, but my fingertips were numb with cold, and he stopped me.

"You were cold." He said as I looked down at my body wrapped in his coat and he stopped me from taking it off as I sighed and tried to shake off the last of the sleepiness that clouded my head.

"Leave it on, you are still frigid, and you may shock your body." He said and I nodded and I let the sleeves fall over my hands as I sat back on my knees and Loki put a hand out on my shoulder as I swayed and threatened to fall over.

"Thank you." I said and looked over at the burnt log and remembered a bonfire vaguely. He looked at me with deep guilt. I hugged him suddenly and buried my face in his neck as I cried and he tensed again, eventually relaxing and put his arms up around me and his hand rubbed my back in circles.

"I know it wasn't you." I said and he hugged me tighter, the annoying melody started playing from my bag again and I broke the embrace suddenly and crawled over to the bag and unzipped it and started digging for the burner cell. Giving up in frustration, I turned the bag over and dumping the contents in the sand and shifted items around as I looked for the source of the sound.

The Burner Dave gave me was ringing in the most generic ringtone known to man, but it was a symphony to my ears and I braced myself on the driftwood log and answered it quickly. Resting my arms and stomach on the log as Loki sat back on his knees and looked at me.

"What is it?" He asked me and I waved at him, my mind working furiously.

"Hello?...um…..shit, Raven?" I said and Loki mouthed the word 'Raven' back at me and I rolled my eyes and I motioned again for him to be quiet and he rested his back against the log and sighed his annoyance.

"Where the fuck you go girl." Dave responded unusually talkative and his Russian accent more pronounced. "I have jobs, deliveries, but you no answer. You forget you my girl, and you no refuse work from me."

"Dave." I said cutting his rant off and I could see his face in my mind, turning red in anger as I spoke.

"Shut the fuck up and tell me the region the burners have without roaming." I said and checked the screen to see if the roaming indicator was on, it wasn't. Loki looked at me with interest.

"West Coast only." Dave replied, obviously shocked by my open defiance.

"Good, now tell me if it covers Alaska, Canada, or California. And hurry the hell up, I don't have much time." I said into the phone as it beeped to indicate a low battery.

"Fuck you bitch. I have my men find you and you will be fired." Dave replied and I pushed myself up on the log and patted Loki's shoulder to get his attention and motioned for him to hand me my regular cell phone, he picked it up from the sand and I rolled my eyes and cut Dave off again.

"Listen you asshole, I have had a really shitty week and it is not getting any easier, so just answer the damn question!" I shouted into the phone and Loki raised an eyebrow as me and gave me a look that screamed for me to watch my mouth. I rolled my eyes back at him and sighed.

"Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California only." He replied and I pumped my fist in celebration at his response.

"Yes!" I shouted and Loki jumped a bit. "Stuck the landing!"

"You no work for me now bitch. You are fired, and my men come get you and bring you back, you no work and you are now dead." Dave said into the phone and I laughed as his accent got worse and worse as he talked.

"Get in fucking line Dave." I said and stood up as the phone finally died and laughed into my hands as I walked to the ocean and threw the phone into the waves and cheered as it skipped across the surface four times before vanishing.

"I quit Dave!" I screamed and staggered back to the log where Loki watched me and looked amused, he handed me my personal cell and I stuffed everything else back in the bag and sat back against the log as dizziness swept over me. I picked up one of the candy bars I had and tore at the wrapper and took a bite off of it and chewed.

"Are you going to tell me what all that was about?" Loki asked as I chewed at a piece of chocolate and took another starved bite of the candy and chewed that one. I tried to shake his coat sleeves up higher on my arms to keep from getting melted candy bar on them and licked my thumb free of a smear of the candy.

"Establishing my theories are correct." I said around a mouthful of candy. "If the cell phone can receive calls here, then we are on Earth, because the cell phones work off of the satellite signals in orbit. However, the cheap phone Dave gave me had spotty reception so it tells me that one runs off cell towers, so we are definitely almost out of range, but not far from a town or something, so we are most likely not in Canada or in Alaska. Definitely on the West Coast where I wanted to be. The lack of a roaming indicator puts us in either Oregon or Washington looking at the weather, California would have been sunnier and we would have been surrounded by Beach Bums by now. Also the trees are evergreens, not palms, so most likely northern Oregon or Washington." I said and took another bite of the candy and held the power button as I crossed my legs as I sat, waiting for the screen on my personal cell to load.

"Clever Little Mouse. I am impressed with your deduction." He said approvingly and I blushed a bit. While I waited for the phone to load, I tried making a mouse in my hand and my head swam and I nearly fell over as gray blotches filled my vision. Loki put his hand out and moved next to me and he looked really concerned as I cleared my head.

'I must be really drained." I said and groaned putting my head in my hands and Loki nodded at me.

"You expended too much energy bringing us here, you will need a few days to recover fully." He said and held me upright with his hand behind my back.

"I kind of panicked, sorry. This is the first place that came to mind." I said and he sighed at me. For a moment I thought he was going to chew me out, but instead, he put a hand on my shoulder and nodded.

"Don't be apologetic for surviving." And I looked down at the screen of my cell phone and turned it to him.

"Washington State." I said triumphantly and tapped the Google icon and handed him the candy bar. My thumbs entered my query asking our coordinates using the built in G.P.S and Loki looked over my shoulder at what I was doing.

"This still does not help us here and now." I said and tried not to be dizzy as my search pulled up a map with an indicator on it showing that we were about twenty miles outside Port Townsend, just off Highway 101 and the ocean behind us was actually Discovery Bay. I asked for walking time to Port Townsend, and groaned when I saw the results and took the candy back from Loki and ate another bite.

'Something wrong?" He asked and I hung my head before answering and tried not to groan in dizziness again.

"We are going to have to hitchhike." I said and took another bite of the candy bar as I thought.

"It is twenty miles, we are dressed like rejects from a Renaissance Fair, and it is Fall. So cars are going to be few and far between because Tourist Season is over. Also, I'm exhausted and starving on top of that." I said and took a breath as I shrugged out of his coat and gave it back to him and he tried to stop me.

"I'm getting too warm in this." I said and Loki took his coat back and put it on as I sat back and tried not to cry.

'You forgot one thing Little Mouse." He said and my clothes changed to a pair of dark blue jeans and a royal purple sweater over a black turtleneck. I looked down at the black hiking boots and the black wool Peacoat I had on and smiled at him impressed.

"The wool coat is a nice touch." I said, he looked down at me smugly as I opened the backpack and dug in my it for a brush and untied my hair and began attacking it with ferocity. And then braided it again and I felt a little bit more human.

"What about you though?" I said and he looked up at the sky. 'You are not exactly blending in yourself there."

His clothes changed to a similar style to mine, but his sweater was a green cable knit, and his jeans were black. I looked at it approvingly and smiled at him.

"Is this adequate?" He asked me coolly. "I feel like a fool dressed like this."

"Don't." I said as he stood up and stretched. "It looks good, like really good."

I handed him the brush and stood up myself and dug the wad of cash out of my bag and put it in my pants pocket along with my I.D. and cell phone. I wrapped the rest of the candy back up and shoved it down into the bag and started shrugging it onto my back, but Loki insisted on carrying it to relieve me of some of the burden. I struggled a bit through the sand, and I took the lead as he followed me.

We walked up to the highway from the beach, and I looked both ways down the 101 and sighed, no cars or signs were visible and I had no idea why I was even trying at this point. Every odd was stacked against us. I turned south, putting the bay to my left and Loki followed me and I struggled not to let my exhaustion or hunger show.

"Do you have a plan, or are we to walk aimlessly?" He asked and sighed sardonically.

"Well, unless you feel like swimming across Discovery Bay, shut up and follow me." I snapped at him and kept walking along the side of the hard macadam highway heading south. He glared at me for my scolding, and I did my best to ignore him as we moved on.

The silence already deafening, I kicked an old soda can and watched it as it bounced down the road and into the brush. If I wasn't so claustrophobic, we would have avoided this mess, and would still be secure in the Weapons Vault. I cussed myself out for being a wimp and walked trying to be productive in my self loathing. Loki however, found his own pace and over took me as I struggled to keep up and soon I was huffing and puffing thanks to my being so worn down. Hunger became a coiled monster in my stomach and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, my stomach felt painful and I held it as I walked.

He would stop at random moments to look around him, his eyes scanning the various evergreens draped in Spanish Moss and listening to the sounds around us with the ocean droning in the background, it was peaceful and beautiful out here. I could see what would draw tourists out here in the Spring and Summer away from the constant noise of Seattle and Bellevue. I took in a deep breath of the salty ocean air, and shivered a bit at the offshore breeze and continued walking, but still enjoying the beauty of the nature that surrounded us.

My goal of finding real food, a hot shower, and a place to sleep, kept me moving forward and I did fairly well for the first few miles or so.

After five miles, my feet started screaming up into my knees and I had to stop and rest but pushed on and started struggling to keep up with Loki. At six miles I hit the wall as the planet spun and tried to kick me off it, I was dizzy and starved and my body decided that I had done enough. I fell backwards, finding every piece of gravel under my butt and put my head into my hands and waited until the dizziness passed so I could keep going. I breathed twenty different ways and put my head between my knees gingerly. I heard Loki run back toward me and I squeezed my eyes shut as I fought the vertigo.

"What is wrong? Are you unwell?" Loki asked me and I nodded as I dug in my bag for the other half of the giant candy bar.

"You need to slow down," I said and took a bite of the candy.

"You are walking too fast, and I am crashing from lack of proper sleep and having just sugar in my system, my stomach hurts too." I said to Loki and offered him some of the candy, he took a bite and chewed, sitting on the ground next to me as I rested. Thirst crawled up my throat and scratched at me, making my dizziness even worse.

"This is good." He said and licked some of the errant chocolate off his lips. "We have gone a great distance, perhaps we should rest for a moment."

I groaned as another wave of dizziness hit me and had to put my hands down on either side of me to keep from falling back. Loki reached out and steadied me against his shoulder and I tried not to feel pathetic.

"I need real food." I groaned and took another bite of the candy. "This is good for now, but eventually I will have a big crash and it will be really bad."

I sighed and winced at a pain in my stomach, trying no to imagine a cheeseburger or a pizza.

"I imagine we will need water or another drink as well." He said and his eyes looked back down the road we had just walked and fixed on something in the distance. I looked back, following his gaze and saw a logging truck rumbling along. It was most likely out of Forks or somewhere in that region, and mentally I did back flips at the sight. Loki however, tensed and a knife appeared in his hand as he began standing up. I put my hand on his wrist to stop him.

"No!" I warned and looked up at him and stood up myself. "Let me talk if they stop. Earth is not exactly Loki friendly after New York, and we really need a ride and to be smart about this. I can get really sick if I don't get someplace to rest soon."

He looked at me and put the knife away, helping me to stand up and steady me on my feet as the truck came closer and closer.

I waved my hands in the air and jumped up a few times, which I regretted as my head swam and nearly grounded me. We watched at the truck passed and I nearly started crying as the truck blew past in anger. But it eventually slowed and pulled off to the side of the road with a hiss of the air brakes, and shuddered to a stop. I ran to the side of the cab and climbed up on the passenger side to talk to the driver, nearly falling over in my hurry.

"Are you both O.K sweetie?" The female driver asked and I smiled wide at her scrambling for a lie mentally and I came up with one quickly.

"Our car died," I said and looked over at Loki who was watching the scene with some interest. "My boyfriend and I need a ride to Port Townsend so we can charge our cells and call AAA for a tow. Can you please drive us? I can pay you for the gas."

The road weathered Blonde woman looked at Loki over my shoulder and adjusted her blue flannel shirt and looked back at me again. She nodded and smiled at me, and I climbed down from my perch as she reached across the bench seats to unlock the door.

"Be civil." I warned Loki in a low voice, as I opened the door and climbed up on the seat and Loki rolled his eyes and followed me up.

"Keep your money hun," She said as she offered me a bottle of water from a flat tucked under her seat and I accepted it gratefully. "I make good money and it is no problem for me to help you both out."

I twisted the cap off the bottle as she waited for us to get situated and took a long drink from it and passed it to Loki while I hooked my seat belt and made a quick motion for Loki to hook his while he watched. He looked at the latching mechanism, and back up at me and I made a bit of a motion to show how to hook everything without arousing the suspicion of the driver.

"Boyfriend?" He mouthed at me and I gave him a look that told him to go along with it.

"My names Cheryl." She said as she put the truck into gear and offered me her hand. I shook it and smiled at her again.

"Lilly, and this is….Lucas." I said and Cheryl regarded Loki as she accelerated onto the 101 toward Route 20. "We are really happy you stopped, I was wearing out so fast, and I didn't think I could walk the entire way to town."

"I figured you were both day trippers." Cheryl said and shifted gears on the rig nosily. Loki handed me back the water bottle and I took a drink and gave it back to him and he raised an eyebrow quietly as he drank from it as well.

"Are you sure I can't pay you for the ride Cheryl?" I asked her and she smiled and laughed at me.

"She always this nice?" She asked Loki and he nodded and looked at the two of us sheepishly.

"You have no idea." He replied and Cheryl laughed as she steered the rig carefully along the road.

"It is only a half hour detour hun, and I was going to stop at the market in town anyways sweet girl." Cheryl said to me and I smiled politely. "You are not putting me out any."

I sat back and drank more of the water she had given me and Loki looked forward through the windshield tensely and became hyper aware of everything for some strange reason. I elbowed him, and motioned for him to relax and he regarded me vaugely.

"We really appreciate it Cheryl. It is a super long walk, and I don't know if I could have made it all the way." I said to her, and Loki cracked the window as the cab became stuffy to let fresh air in and we soon came to the Route 20 interchange.

"You both look like Seattle Tech," Cheryl said breaking the silence and making conversation. "Stark Industries, Amazon, or Microsoft?"

I scrambled in my head for another lie and Loki looked at me and came up with something within seconds. He waited to see how I handled myself before he would have to intervene.

"Amazon actually." I piped out quickly. "I do tech support, maintaining servers and stuff, and Lucas helps to maintain the site and keep it user friendly." I sighed and Loki raised an eyebrow at my lie, I elbowed him in the ribs and giggled. He winced and I looked at him expectantly, and he nodded.

"Yes. My clever Lilly got me the position." He said and my eyes widened in shock that he went along with it, and suddenly panicked again should Cheryl decide to ask him about writing code and how he kept everything up.

"Sounds boring." Cheryl said and I felt an avalanche of relief hit me. "But you two are cute, and I suppose the world needs smarties like the two of ya."

She guided the wheel around and we merged onto Route 20, and I nearly groaned as I felt dizzy again at the motion and gray blotches dotted my vision. Loki put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me concerned and I smiled at him to show I was going to survive.

"Lucas, where you from honey? Your accent says England." Cheryl asked and my heart skipped a beat and I looked at Loki and mouthed yes at him, and he looked at Cheryl and I was impressed to see he was not being arrogant.

"Yes, England." He replied and he put his arm around me as the lack of proper nutrients in my blood started to make me shake. "However, I do take pleasure in the variety that is Washington."

I relaxed into his shoulder and tried to stay focused ahead as Loki dug the last of the candy out from his pocket and gave it to me to eat, I let the tension that built between my shoulders ease a bit. And was grateful that Loki did play along, we would be sunk if he didn't.

"I thought so hun." She said and smiled. "We should be there in about twenty minutes, will you get this girl something to eat other than that candy? She is shaking like a leaf and pale as sin."

Loki looked out the windshield as we began passing houses along the road as he held the Oh Shit handle above the door casually, I ate another bite of the chocolate.

"That is exactly my intention Cheryl." He said and continued to look ahead at the road. "I believe we shall do that before we make any calls to get our car dealt with."

He rested his head against his arm as he gripped the handle and watched the road ahead. Looking casual, but staying hyper aware, which confused me to no end. What the hell did he expect would happen?

"Treat her good Lucas," Cheryl said and looked at me. "She will make you feel like a King."

Loki looked down at me and smiled and watched me closely as the road passed under the truck, and I bounced along in the seat.

"Or just like a deserving man." He said and I ate more of the candy trying not to blush, and wondering about what Loki had just said.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

Port Townsend is a one stoplight, throwback waterfront town to Washington State's lumber industry era. Extravagant Victorian Facades dominate the main drag and the buildings in some cases boast rabbit warrens of storefronts that tourists wander through as they walk the red brick sidewalks and drive the actual cobblestone streets. Meandering through the town, you find all sorts of history, left up on the walls in advertisements that are left to fade in peeling paint on the sides of the buildings from a long gone time, when women wore bustles and corsets and men walked in dapper ties and coattails. When canes were fashion, and horses were the main mode of transportation and not just a family pet.

Beautiful trees lined the street, and large windows, warped with time reflected our image back to us as we rode by in the large semi truck, even Loki seemed to admire the town that was a place from another era on the Olympic Peninsula. He ducked his head and looked up at a four story brickwork building with Art Deco accents, seemingly admiring the simple stonework structure that served as a testament to a long dead architectural style.

The top of Cheryl's truck scraped on a bare tree along the street as we pulled into the parking lot of the Grocery Store that stood at one end of town, and was the only modern looking building. She put the gears into park with a grinding shudder from the massive semi truck and turned in her seat and made me nervous as she looked at the two of us, I feared that she would recognize Loki from New York but she just smiled and opened her door. She grabbed a hat off the dashboard, and I looked at her as she put it on her head and we prepared ourselves to get out of the truck. She paused as Loki rolled the window back up and smiled at us, continuing to climb down as she checked her appearance in the mirror.

"Well Lucas and Lilly, here you are. Thanks for the company and conversation. Good luck to you both." She said as Loki unhooked his seat belt and pulled the latch on his door and climbed down from the cab gracefully.

Sadly, I was not as graceful, and dizziness protested at my head and it swam as I dangled my foot over nothingness, Loki had to guide my foot to the step to prevent me from falling and doing some real damage to myself. My heart skipped a beat when his hands came up and placed themselves on either side of my hips, but I managed to not loose my mind and kick back at him by reminding myself that he was just helping me down from the truck and not coping a feel.

"Our pleasure Cheryl, may your journey be less eventful than we were." Loki said as I put my feet on the asphalt parking lot, and waited for the last of the dizziness to fade from my head. Cheryl turned back and waved to us from the doors of the grocery store and I smiled back at her and gave her a nice wave as she vanished into the building.

"Lay it on a little thick why don't you." I said and slapped his arm, he glared down at me and my stomach protested my entire existence thanks to it being empty.

"You told me to be civil," He retorted defensively and I tried not to groan. "Lucas?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes and groaned again as I heard a ship horn in the background. I crossed my arms and stared up at him as he regarded my sudden defiance, and I pointed a finger at him.

"Well, I can't exactly introduce you as Loki, that asshole who destroyed Manhattan and tried to take over the world." I snapped and I instantly regretted my choice of words because I was hungry, irritable, and exhausted all at the same time.

Loki looked down at me angrily, and clenched his fists as I stepped back instinctively. He turned sharply and began walking down the main drag leaving me standing in the parking lot, I threw my hands out and sighed. I groaned and shook away the dizziness that had become a constant background noise in my head and chased after him as he kept a steady stride past different shops, his face completely stormy and the normal mask of placidity he wore cracking. I reached out for his arm as another wave of dizziness wrapped around my head and had to steady myself before I fell. My fingers missing his arm by millimeters as he walked, focused intently ahead and ignoring me.

"Stop." I said and he ignored me as tunnels formed in my vision but he kept walking and I grabbed a black lamp post along the street to steady myself and nearly slid down it as my heart pounded in my ears. I groaned and pinched my eyes shut and I tried not to shake my head in the need to clear it, fearing it would make the dizziness worse. The cold metal against my cheek felt good and I took in a deep breath as I tried to steady myself.

"Where are you going? You don't know this town, and I need help. Shit." I cried out and tried not to faint as he spun on me and I pressed my cheek back on to cold metal pole. He turned and saw I was struggling and immediately forgot about being angry with me and walked back over quickly and put his hands under my arms carefully as he unwrapped my arms from the pole and steadied me against him.

"Look, I'm sorry." I said looking up at him and feeling a bit better. I bit my lip and tried not to get dizzy again and nearly managed it before my legs decided otherwise and tried to come out from under me.

"That was too far, but please listen, we are basically fugitives and I'm scared shitless alright? If someone finds out who you are, S.H.I.E.L.D will get called and…" I said and stopped before I made a huge ass of myself. I found my legs and feet, forcing them to cooperate with me and I managed to pull away from Loki.

"And?" He asked, his anger dropping off exponentially and he put a hand on my face gently as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and braced me so I could stand without swaying.

"And they may just kill you for everything that happened." I said and his hand fell from my face as I looked down again. He let go of my shoulders, letting me test my own balance and took my hand in his and started guiding me down the street, I followed him quietly, feeling embarrassed at my condition and what I had said.

"Let us get you some real food as you call it, and then we can form a plan of what to do next." He said as we walked down the street and shops began opening for the day and the town slowly woke up. He scanned signs and glanced in windows in his search to get me something to eat and had to put an arm around me as the color drained from my face again, I moaned as the dizziness got worse and my stomach felt like it had a ball of nails sticking into it. I put both my hands over my stomach and cringed at the pain, how his own hunger did not bother him, I still don't know.

We eventually found a Soda shop style Diner that was cramped, but served what looked like decent food and I pushed the door open as a guy behind the counter looked up from his car magazine at us. I shook a bit, but managed to look as normal as I could. I stood in the doorway and smiled at him brightly, feeling the muscles in my legs cramp unmercifully from the lack of glucose in my system.

"Sit where you want, I'll be right with ya." He said and we chose a seat in the window and watched people walk around outside. The guy brought us two menus, and I looked mine over as Loki set his down on the table and watched me closely, I ordered two cheeseburgers, onion rings, a basket of fries and the guy brought us back two cokes and I tried desperately not to roll my eyes at his Tapout shirt.

"You both must be starving." He said as he set down the two Cokes and walked away to the counter and put our order in through the window. Loki took an experimental sip of his Coke and winced. I laughed at his reaction, his face immediately darkened at me as I giggled.

"I forgot you have never had a carbonated drink before." I said and he sat back and lifted the ketchup bottle and read the label casually before returning it to the basket near the window.

"I am not entirely a stranger here, but that is new." He said and looked at me completely relaxed but alert.

"You must feel like a fish out of water. Welcome to how I feel back in Asgard." I replied and sighed as the Coke gave me a bit of energy, and he nodded.

"A bit, but I must admit, my guide this time is more pleasant." He said back and I blushed a bit and giggled to myself sardonically. Loki sat back and looked out the window, looking relaxed but still staying alert to everything around him.

"We should probably find a place to stay," I said as Tapout brought our food out and set it in front of us. "Nothing on the main drag but quiet, so I can sleep away from everything and recover. Hopefully, Heimdall will find us and get us back to Asgard and I can start doing my penance for the trouble I caused." I said and poured some of the ketchup on an extra saucer for the fries and onion rings as Loki looked at the burger in front of him and opened it slightly to see the contents. He frowned at it and looked at me, I sighed and rolled my eyes. I picked mine up and took a huge bite of it, chewing and swallowing before taking another and rolling my eyes at the pleasure filling my empty stomach gave me.

"It was not your fault. Odin knew full well that bringing you to Asgard was a risk, and he may have had ulterior motives in that. However, where do you suggest we should look for said shelter?" He asked as he tasted the rest of his food cautiously, tasting a fry and then dipping it in the ketchup.

"Manresa Castle." I said around a mouthful of burger and Loki picked up his and took a bite, raising his eyebrows around the food and tried an onion ring. Taking a bite of it first, and then dipping it in the ketchup and experimenting with it all.

"That is Ketchup?" He asked and I laughed startling the guy behind the counter as he scooped ice cream from a case into a metal milkshake container.

"Yes." I said and sipped more of my Coke and he ate some more, looking out the window searching the street for any signs of threat.

"I can see now what Mr. Whatney in your book lamented running out of on Mars." He said chewing and drinking more of his Coke, following with another bite of his burger.

"It does make some food better." I said and smiled at him. "Welcome to Earth, enjoy the cuisine."

He smiled at my joke and I watched out the window as it started to drizzle and the people of Port Townsend went about their lives, I felt a pang of jealousy at them and wanted to be one of them. Fate was a cruel bitch though, and I was far from one of them. An impostor among their population. I was an impossible being, capable of so much, sitting across the table from Loki in a soda shop and it all seemed so surreal. The people outside as the glanced in the window at us unaware of the people and the powers locked in the beings that sat and ate in the diner feet from them, and the danger we both posed to them, all separated from them by a fragile pane of glass.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Kree screamed from the airlock as decompression began, The Presence listened to the screams as the vacuum of space made the creature's blood boil and his body twist in silent death as the air left the cramped space. The body ejected from the ship, drifting free into the black void beyond.

It was not her screams, but this would suffice in penance for losing the girl.

He had barely made it off Asgard, and his anger seethed in him, he was so close to her and he could taste the power surging through her. Her smell still filled his nose, and he craved more screams. She was more clever than he initially thought as well, the bastard Loki had seen to that.

However, he had accomplished his plan to flush her out and get her away from Asgard but he had not intended for her to run so far. Now she was not alone, she took a protector with her and they were most likely together, his power concealing her from his sight.

"Loki" He hissed and reveled in the horror he made the Jotun hybrid feel when he controlled his body and consciousness, hearing the screams of Loki as he thrashed at the walls of his own mind as he filled it with visions of her screams and blood. The feeling and sensations were divine to The Presence, and he craved to do so much more to him before he allowed Loki to kill the girl.

"Sir." A Kree general said behind him and he turned form the body floating away from the ship. "What are your orders?"

The Kree looked back at the General and returned his focus back toward the body as it drifted further and further from she ship.

"We wait, she is somewhere and when Asgard finds her, they will open the Bifrost to send someone to get her. We will then track it and go collect the girl, and I will have her do your bidding." The Presence replied blandly, and the Kree nodded.

"Yes Sir, a wise plan." He replied and bowed to him in a salute before leaving. The Presence continued to watch the body floating away, but it was just a dot in the vast emptiness of space by the time he looked back..

"I am going to enjoy making you tear her apart before I kill you." The Presence said to himself and his mind wandered as he composed a symphony of pain and suffering in his head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Manresa Castle Hotel was surprisingly booked for it not being Tourist Season, so we had to settle for a room with a single queen bed. I felt nervous and internally groaned at the thought of being alone in a room with a man, but it could be worse. The woman behind the desk assured me that there was a couch in the room before I paid for two nights, but it did nothing for my mood any. Loki was so getting banished to the couch, I was exhausted and I groaned internally again as the room contract printed out. I signed the paperwork, and took the two keys from the woman, happily full from the food in the diner and ready to go into a food coma for a few hours. Maybe a shower or a bath after sleep, but for now, I was content we were not sleeping on a beach or under an overpass somewhere.

The woman gave me general directions to our room, and I turned to head up the stairs as Loki looked at the elevator and I shook my head. He sighed and shook his head at me but I ignored him and continued up the stairs with him in tow, I may be exhausted, but there was no way in hell I was getting into that coffin.

"Why are you so nervous about enclosed spaces?" Loki asked as I walked up to the second floor and down the hall toward the room.

"I am not so much nervous, as I experience screaming terror every time I get into one. Thank you for rubbing salt into that sore spot, and I really don't want to talk about it." I said as I found our room and struggled to get the key into the lock, but eventually managed to get the door open after several attempts. The room was your typical hotel room, but a bit nicer and it was warm inside. I sat down on the end of the bed and as Loki looked around the room taking everything in as he set my bag down on the desk and I untied by boots.

"I did not mean to offend you, and this is not much of a castle." He said as I tossed my coat onto the couch, and pulled my sweater off over my head and lay back and sighed.

"It is just the name for the place." I retorted and scooted up the bed and turned on my side as he sat down on the couch. "I only know about this place from the Travel Channel anyways, it was some show about haunted hotels." He sat and watched me talk and I just felt too bone wearingly tired to continue arguing and sighed, blowing out my cheeks as I rolled onto my stomach and tried to get comfortable.

"You look exhausted." He said and I snorted.

"So do you Magic Dance." I shot back at him and he stretched his neck as my eyelids drooped a bit as I yawned into my hand and shivered from a cold breeze from somewhere. He said something and my eyes snapped open and I looked at him, He smiled at me softly and watched me.

"I asked what our next move should be." He quipped and I shivered a bit again as I pulled the Duvet from the other side of the bed over me and made myself into a human taco.

"Current thought process is toward sleep, I paid for two nights. We can from a plan later. Just please let me sleep for a while." I said and buried my face in the pillow and groaned, my head shooting up in a panic as the other side of the bed depressed.

"Wait." I squeaked out and shook my head. No was was this happening, no freaking way.

"What are you doing? " I asked Loki as he laid down with his back to me.

"Agreeing with your plan." He said over his shoulder, and tucked his arm under the pillow as he settled his head in. I sat back and moved closer to my edge of the bed and pushed his back with my hands, trying to get him off the bed.

"No. wait. No way! Not cool, you get the couch. I claim bed." I said and wrapped the duvet around me and started freaking out a bit. "This is a no dude zone, girls only."

"Little Mouse, calm down and be an adult about all this."

"I am being an adult, and I have experience that men try to put the moves on you on beds. And ewww!" I said as Loki held a knife up over his shoulder and handed it to me.

"Lay down and sleep, you have my word and that dagger that I shall not lay a hand on you." I took the dagger and eased back on the bed, laying it next to my pillow and resting my hand over it. But still refusing to take an eye off him.

"I will sleep when you are on the couch jerk face." I shot out and pointed at the sofa against the wall as he sighed and he continued to be stubborn from his side of the bed and remained still. He grabbed his pillow from under his head and put it in between us and I groaned at his being a complete ass and buried my face back into the pillow in frustration. I fought the urge to relent and move over to the couch myself, and the standoff began.

"Men have not been kind to you have they?" He asked as I relaxed a tiny bit, but still shuddered when he shifted his weight to settle in on his other side, facing me.

"No." I admitted, and felt shame come back. "Not that I wasn't part of the blame."

"Never say that." Loki replied and lay still. "Being a woman gives no man permission to abuse you in any form. "

I turned onto my stomach and crossed my legs uncomfortably and looked at him and felt a tear burn my eye. I buried my face into the pillow and groaned in frustration, I sighed then and looked back at him.

"Have you ever?" I asked as he looked at me, and he smiled.

"I did have a lover, once, she was mortal and she smiled so beautifully." He replied and looked sad as he sighed in memory. "She died in childbirth, the child not long after."

I swallowed and felt awful for him then, and he wiped a tear away from my cheek with his thumb.

"I'm sorry." I whispered and touched his face gently and he pushed my hand back into the blanket cocoon and tucked the blanket around me.

"Mortal lives are fleeting, you will learn this soon enough. Your children will be immortal as you are, and I see you surrounded by them." He smiled at me as I lay still. "You will have to go through the pain of saying goodbye to lovers yourself, but you don't suffer any less for caring for them."

"I think all that was taken off the table for my by what I am. I can't go through immortality with one person, why bother loosing people over and over again?" I sighed and he looked back at me.

"Sleep." He said and smiled at me sadly. "You are safe with me, but you are far too exhausted to have this conversation right now."

"Why don't you just ask it though?" I said back as I closed my eyes, and snuggled into the pillow.

"What?" He replied his eyes popping open and looking at me concerned.

"If I have ever had any mortal lovers?" I said, imitating him and he smiled back at me as he rolled his gray blue eyes and groaned.

"It is not my business, and if you have never had one, I have no current plans too change that against your will." He replied and closed his eyes. "Now, go to sleep."

I giggled again, and he opened his eyes and looked at me with a smirk, and poked me in the forehead. I could see him thinking about it, and I chewed at my thumb and giggled again. I got his goat.

"What of your lovers?" He asked me and sighed as I smiled back at him and laughed.

"I'm a virgin." I said and he laughed at me, a bit shocked. "I don't believe in just hopping from guy to guy, so shoot me."

"I admire that in you." He replied and I blushed and buried my face in the blanket as embarrassment crept up to my face and I wanted to sink into the mattress. I really needed to work on that edit button between my brain and my mouth.

"Why did I tell you that, we are just friends. Don't get any ideas, the Friendzone is like the Mafia, no one gets out." I groaned out and he laughed back at me, and I had to admit that he had a warm laugh when he wasn't hiding it under his anger.

"Go to sleep Little Mouse, the secret of your innocence is safe with me." He said and turned his back to me and settled in to sleep.

"Thank you." I mumbled into the pillow and let my eyes close. "If you snore, I will smother you with this quilt."

"Go to sleep." He replied, laughing over his shoulder and I let my eyes close as the mortar in my personal wall shifted inside me and I sighed, more sunlight getting in and warming the trapped creature inside it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was running through the halls of Asgard but did not know what from. My bare feet slapped against the stone and I cried out as I turned a corner and tried to get my bearings, lost and confused. Lost in my running and I cried out for help, shouting as loud as my voice would allow me. I heard someone call my name in the distance, and I cried out to get their attention, to let them know I was alive and looking for them in return, but their response was so very far away.

And I was so very alone.

I picked a different direction, but the walls were so close to me, it was hard to breathe. I turned another corner and cried out to come face to face with the man with black eyes and my burnt father. I screamed and tried to run back the way I had come, but a burning arm was around my waist as I struggled against the heat and another burning hand was on my forehead. Blisters rose in my skin and burst as I screamed and struggled against the demon that held me back as I looked down to see the white shift I was wearing soak through with blood.

I screamed as loud as I could and tried desperately to free myself as the man came closer, raising a knife up and wrapping his hand around my throat as I cried, choking me and causing my voice to cut off. His hand then released me and he ran the tip of the knife over my cheek and down my chin as he tore open the shift and revealed the skin over my heart.

My whole body became numb with terror, and I knew that he was going to make me scream when I died. But I couldn't move, I could barely even breathe from the fear. The knife came to a rest over my heart and I cried knowing that he had won, his soulless eyes trapping mine as he smiled and I screamed, ripping everything loose inside me as I cried out for help.

I screamed one name over and over as the knife plunged into my chest, and I screamed again as he held his hand up to show me my red blood.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I screamed out and two arms were wrapped around me, I gasped in the dim hotel room ans I struggled against the tight restraint. I was gulping down air greedily and arching my back as I cried out and fell to pieces as a hand smoothed my hair softly back as my head fell back against a shoulder and I cried out and took long breaths. I struggled again and cried out in panic as I slapped a hand over my chest and found everything still intact, the familiar comfort of my stone pendant under the turtleneck sweater and I relaxed back into Loki's chest and sobbed. He started rocking me and let me just cry it out and I turned in his arms to lay against his shoulder and slowly stopped shaking a tiny bit at a time.

I groaned and chewed at my thumb in my fear induced state and his hand gently moved my fingers away from my mouth and I relaxed after a while.

"You don't have to tell me," He said and rubbed my back between my shoulders. "You are safe now, it is over." I sighed into his neck and sniffed, feeling embarrassed and scared, but I knew that only one thing is inevitable in this awful world and the truth of it was painful to even voice.

"I am going to die aren't I?" I asked and turned my head to look out the window and his arms tightened around me, and I felt him tense briefly and relax under my cheek and I tried not to cry again.

"No." He said firmly, and his arms tightened more. "I will not allow that to happen…ever."

I settled into him and held onto him for some semblance of support and slowly he untangled himself from me, he sighed and looked into my eyes.

"You are not going to die, not while I live. You have my word on that, I will die myself to keep you living." He said to me and I saw the truth in his eyes, and sat back on my knees not knowing how to react to his promise. This had just become uncharted territory, and I was scared and without a map. Butterflies formed in my stomach and I looked down in nervousness, I bit my lower lip and felt him shift across from me and glanced up.

"Are you better?" He asked me and I nodded as I sank back onto the mattress and he reached out and lifted my face, looking at me and searching for any signs of a lie. My heart skipped a beat as he looked at me, really looked at me and I pulled back a bit.

"I will be, just give me a moment." I said and he stood up straightening his clothes and using his power to clean the traces of my tears away. He handed me my sweater and I stood up and walked into the bathroom quietly, washing my face and groaning into the rough towel as I looked into the mirror and let my hair down. I raked my fingers through it, and jumped out of my skin when a green sleeved arm popped up behind me holding my hairbrush and laughed nervously as I took it.

"Goofball." I said and he regarded me with amusement.

"I have never been called that before." He said and watched as I tamed my mop of hair and braided it into something manageable before tying it off and pulling my sweater over my head and leaned against the door frame of the bathroom. Watching him pick up a binder and scan a tourism brochure as I let myself stop being afraid for a bit.

"You know." I said and he looked up from the binder and turned on his heels to face me. "For a guy who is supposed to be a jerk, you are pretty compassionate."

He gave a snort and genuinely smiled as I crossed my arms, and debated being a complete idiot, but decided against it as he looked at me and smiled.

"Is that such a terrible thing?" He said, challenging me gently.

'No." I said and shook my head and he smiled back at me as he continued to look through the brochure and then glanced back up at me. "It is just cool to see that part of you, let it out more sometime."

He looked up at me and studied me carefully as I pushed away from the door frame and sat down on the foot of the bed to put my boots on and began lacing them as I smoothed my socks over my feet. Loki set the brochure back on the desk and leaned back against it and crossed his arms.

"Well Little Mouse, you have found a hole to get in." He said and I looked up at him, not quite understanding the analogy and shaking it off. "But we have other problems to sort through, what is your current plan to solve what we face now?"

"Aren't you the one who has to be in control all the time? The guy with the master plan for everything?" I said to him and he jerked his head back and he held his hands out.

"You are the expert on this realm, and I look for your advice in this." He said and I thought about it as I leaned forward and sighed. Thinking and my stomach rumbled at me again, I was hungry and needed more food.

I laughed and finished tying my boots slowly, and relaxed back casually onto my hands and thought for a bit. There was a option, several really, and my brain fired and went into overdrive. Coming to the decision that the best route to remain invisible was easy and obvious. Seattle. We could get lost among the crowd, and hide out there until Heimdall sent Thor and the rest if the fight was over in Asgard, and I hoped it was. I made a mental list of everything we were going to need, and mentally went over how much money I had left.

"Well, first let's eat and then we will need to go to that hardware store for some tools and other supplies. It is probably not a good idea for us to stay here too long, you being you and the obvious reasons behind that, and me being hunted by our evil friend." I said as I put my jacket on and felt my stomach rumble again.

"How do you propose we leave here? This seems a bit remote, and you are still too weak to travel or use your gifts." He said as he put on his own coat, and I picked up the room keys and put them in my pants pocket, and sighed.

"I will explain it later." I said and he raised his eyebrows at me. "Food and tools now, the rest of the plan can be hammered out later."

I opened the door and he walked out into the hall and I checked the handle to make sure the door was secure and shut it quietly. A million questions ran through my head, but I was too tired and hungry again to ask them all. We walked down the stairs and I thought about the woman and child he once had, and wondered if he ever thought about them. I pushed the thought out and away as we left the building through the lobby doors, and I shivered and buttoned my jacket up to my neck. It was none of my business really, and I felt awkward as hell for revealing the stuff about myself earlier. What the hell was wrong with me.

We turned and walked the footpath to the stairs that lead down the embankment to the town below us, and he stopped me and looked at me worried.

"No one knows about them….." He said and I nodded and smiled at him completely understanding what he meant. I opened my mouth to assure him I would say nothing, but he stopped me before I could speak. "I miss them both every day."

"Maybe someday, you will have a second chance to have them again. Life is like that, second chances and all that." I said and he let me continue walking down the stairs, and he blinked at me as I walked on. I nearly stumbled when my foot missed a step, and he caught me before I fell down twenty five feet of concrete stairs.

"Please be careful." He said and I laughed, and continued walking down the stairs.

"I'm not made of glass, I think I would at least bounce a bit of the way down." I quipped and he looked at me sternly and I giggled.

"I do not find that funny." Loki replied and followed me as I walked. We turned down the main drag and found a little hole in the wall Italian Restaurant that looked pretty decent, and he opened the door for me as I walked past him. The waitress looked him up and down, and basically ignored me obvious in her not liking my existence and it showed in the way she went out of her way to openly flirt with Loki in front of me as she showed us a table.

She handed him his menu and began making recommendations and going over the wine list while giving him great views of her cleavage, I looked through my menu as he completely ignored her chest and annoyed her in his actions. I wanted to gut the bitch with the salad fork in front of me and looked up at her and smiled and set my menu aside. She licked her lips and pouted at Loki, I rolled my eyes as she leaned a hip close to him and twirled a bit of her blonde hair around her finger. She giggled and I growled internally, I somehow managed to keep my inner bitch back.

'Is the Ricotta Ravoli any good?" I asked her, forcing her to acknowledge my existence, obviously irritating her.

"It is." She said tersely and asked Loki what he would like and he looked down her shirt accidentally, his eyes staring at her huge breasts for a second too long. I kicked his foot under the table and he jerked a bit and turned his head toward me and I smiled and shrugged as I rested my chin on my hand.

"What would you like to eat?" I asked him and he swallowed while looking at me in embrassment.

"The Fettuccini you recommended sounds good." He said and looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "And my lovely friend would like her Ravioli if it is not a problem."

The waitress frowned at the mention of me and sighed as she wrote down our orders and went off with an extra swish of her hips and winked at him as she left. I glared at her, and she grinned at him over her shoulder as I internally pictured how many ways I could kill a woman with a shrimp fork.

"Do I sense a bit of jealously Little Mouse." He said to me and I rolled my eyes at that thought and pulled my phone out of my pocket and started tapping apps.

"You wish." I said and opened Angry Birds, a grin broke out on his face in amusement, ignoring him I began catapulting computerized birds across my screen at green pigs.

"She got any closer, your face would have ended up between her tits though, she should have just blown you right there." I grumped at him and continued shooting the birds across the screen. Ignoring him and doing a pretty good job of it as he chuckled to himself. I was not about to give him the benefit of attention right then.

Under the table, his hand squeezed my knee and I jumped up nearly turning over the table and dropping the phone into my lap. He laughed openly at my reaction as our food was brought back out to us by the waitress and she patted his shoulder as she left. I was going to get into a fight unless someone stopped me, I could sense it. Either Loki or the waitress would be my target, it was just a matter of who irritated me more.

"Hilarious." I said and turned off the phone, shoving it back into my pocket angrily as Loki picked up his fork and began eating. I stabbed a ravioli and took a bite of it and put the rest of it in my mouth.

"That was rather amusing" He said as he put a forkful of food into his mouth and I rolled my eyes and stabbed another innocent ravioli, picturing it being one of her eyes in my head.

"I am so freaking glad you are entertained, wait until I stab that bitch with a fork." I said and he looked at me concerned. "Besides, the real fun will be when we steal a car, see how amused you are then."

I chewed the food in my mouth and smiled at him as he shifted uncomfortably a bit at the thought of me going Quest for Fire with a fork on the waitress and stealing a car to escape.

"We are eventually going to steal a car, we need to get to Seattle." I said and ate another mouthful of food, my hand tightening around my fork as the waitress walked by again and asked him if everything was to his satisfaction. He confirmed that everything was good, and waved her away dismissively and part of me cheered at her annoyance.

I am not jealous…..really I am not fucking jealous.

"Is that what the tools will be for?" He asked me and I nodded instead of talking with my mouth full. I loosened my grip on the fork as the waitress looked at me nervously and left, I watched her leave and wondered if I would ever be able to repeat the face I gave her for use later.

"We have some options on how to get to Seattle." I said. "We can take the Kingston Ferry, drive to Bainbridge Island and take that ferry across, cross the Narrows Bridge, or drive around through Olympia." I put another ravioli in my mouth and chewed while he turned the options over in his head, and thought carefully.

"Which option are you thinking of?" He asked and looked at me seriously. I thought about it for a second, and pushed the food around my plate as I thought.

"Three of our four options have cameras," I said and sighed. 'We don't know who is watching them, and it is a four to six hour drive from here to Olympia and then into into Seattle, so we really have to think it through. My thoughts are on going through Olympia, and taking our chances on the road." I said and twirled the fork in my fingers thinking about the risks of driving a stolen car that far.

"I have stolen cars before, but I have never had an actual known fugitive with me. Who knows what will happen if we get caught."

"You have thought of everything, but I don't know why we should return to Seattle. Your former slave owner is looking to get you, and are there not monitored cameras there?" Loki said and I pressed my lips together in thought.

"Because it is harder to hide in a city than a small town like this, someone is eventually figure out who you are, and then we will have a whole new set of problems. And he is not a slave owner, he paid me for the work. Completely different if you really think about it." I said and ate more of the food, feeling full.

"You are clever," He said and pushed his plate away. "I hope this plan of yours is successful."

He wiped his hands and mouth on the cloth napkin as the waitress returned with the check, I left enough money for the food but no tip out of spite, and we both walked back out onto the darkened Port Townsend streets. I popped the mint from the tray into my mouth and held it between my teeth as we walked.

Loki stopped me half way to the hardware store, turning me and looked at me seriously. I looked at him and sucked the mint back nervously, his face was intense and I felt nervous.

"I had no interest in the servant girl." He said and I looked back at him with a bit of awkward surprise, and laughed.

"Dude, I was just trying to save you from a trip to the free clinic. She obviously gets around, and well, she was going to give you some really raunchy syphilis or something even worse." I said and laughed at his confusion and turned to walk on.

"Free clinic?" He asked, grabbing my arm gently as we continued to walk, and I laughed harder.

"Oh Loki, you see, if you don't wrap your little Jotun, and then you have sex with a nasty girl like her. You will wake up one day and it hurts when you pee. After that you have to visit a doctor, and get a shot of penicillin and get that cleared up." I laughed as he rolled his eyes, and chuckled at my joke.

"Please tell me that was a joke." He said and I laughed again.

"Awkward as it is to have 'the talk' with a guy older than me, it is a sad fact of life here, another reason I don't jump from guy to guy. There are plenty of really nasty things you can catch from people." I quipped, and he nodded at my logic and held the door to the hardware store open for me.

"Please don't make references like that again, I am not exactly enjoying being who I am." He said and I sighed.

"Sorry, you get treated like dirt for being born the way you were, it is not like you asked for it." I said as I grabbed a cart and looked back at him. 'I don't see why people in Asgard can't get over that crap, it is stupid really. I thought they were supposed to be all wise and shit like that, turns out they are just another race of bigots."

I walked down an isle and tossed a map of Washington and a map of the Olympic Peninsula into the cart, and tried to reach a box of screwdrivers over my head and Loki removed one and handed it to me.

"It really does not matter to you what I am?" He asked seriously and I smiled back at him as I picked out a small flashlight and rolled my eyes. I called up and image of a Geisha on my phone, and showed him the screen and he looked at her and then back at me.

"I am a quarter Japanese, does it make me a bad person? The only feature I got from my bloodline is being short, and I am super good at math. But it does not make me any less me." I said and he handed me back the phone and smiled at me as I tossed the flashlight into the cart and turned.

"I can see now why you are also so pale." He said and I laughed at him.

"She is wearing traditional makeup, I am pale because I am also part Irish. Get over what you are and start being who you want to be." I picked up a pair of pliers and Loki looked at the items that stocked the shelves, openly bored as I tossed the pliers in the basket. I rounded the end of the Isle and grabbed a few bags of candy, and opened a cooler and grabbed a couple Cokes for later. I looked back at Loki and stopped and sighed.

"I actually appreciate that you are here, and that you are keeping me alive. You also have taught me some pretty cool stuff, you know way more than I do about whatever it is I am, and I would feel really freaking lost if I were alone right now." I said and he smiled back at me crookedly. "I would be scared, and you being here with me makes me feel better about this whole scary situation."

He stopped and looked down as we walked up to the cashier, and hid in his own thoughts as I paid for the items in the cart and the person handed me the bags. I opened the door and walked back out into the street as a misty fog began rolling in and I started feeling tired again. Wanting a hot bath and to wash my hair, maybe after I could look at the maps and make some decisions, but I felt grimy and cruddy.

Loki took the bags from me and offered me his elbow as we walked, and I put my hand in it happily. I smiled up at him as the mist began to get heavier, and I really didn't feel all that lonely in the world anymore. Like no matter what, the big jerk had my back. We turned up the stairs and he let me go ahead of him and I had to stop and rest a bit on the way up thanks to the food we had just eaten, and I leaned on the railing as he stopped and looked up at me.

"Is it me, or are these stairs steeper going up this time?" I asked and he laughed at me.

"Perhaps a bit." He said and I laughed back at him as I rested.

"Aren't you supposed to be a God or something? What getting old?" I said teasing him and he looked up at me with a look of annoyance. And I turned to start walking up again, and he followed.

"I have a thousand years on you girl." He said and I stopped and looked down at him with my mouth open.

"You have aged well." I said and he stopped again and looked up at me and rolled his eyes as I scrambled up some more stairs to avoid a swat.

"For a fossil." I laughed and turned to see him putting both bags into one of his hands and he flipped me the bird.

"I taught you that." I said laughing and we both walked the paved path back to the lobby.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

He admired her smile, and watched her as she pushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear as she opened the lobby door, pausing for him and started up the stairs. He watched every line and soft curve of her face as she turned and the way her lips stretched how they formed the words she spoke. Every line and inch of her was taken in and etched in Loki's mind as she turned and laughed again making a joke he had missed as he was lost in his inner thoughts. She was such a vexing girl to him, yet endearing at the same time. He tried his best to accept that she held no ill judgments for what he was, but could not fully trust her words. No one could ever fully trust or not fear him because of what he was, why was she different? Her eyes however held no fear or disgust, curiosity lined with kindness, but he was not still sure of what he saw himself.

So much like Frigga.

Her desire to unlock puzzles, to find answers in the how and why, along with her intelligence would always be her greatest strength. Her ability to think quickly would keep her alive. Yet he still feared for her life, and wanted to keep her in a room where nothing could touch her or bring any harm upon her. He was completely fascinated by the girl walking in front of him, so beaten down by a heartless world but able to come back from the bruising. Stronger and more resilient than before, ready to keep fighting.

He wanted to keep this puzzling creature for himself only, to just let her talk as she observed the universe, and to listen to her and what she had to say.

She unlocked the door to their room and opened it, jumping up and falling face first onto the bed and lay very still. He grew concerned as she lay flat on the mattress and no movement came from her for several moments, he reached out to see if she had knocked herself unconscious but she pushed herself up and laughed.

"That was less than graceful." He said and snorted at her, relieved she had not hurt herself.

"We should find a way back to Asgard." She said as she sat up and he set the bags on the desk next to her bag.

"Do you really think it would be any better there?" He asked her and she pulled the hair band out of her hair and shook the black locks out with her fingers. He sat down on the side of the bed and watched her as she looked up at him and sighed.

"Honest opinion?" She asked him and he opened his hands as she pulled her sweater off over her head.

"Always."

"I am really not sure of anything right now." She said and untied her boots and pulled them both off and removed her socks. She stuffed the socks into the boots and stretched her feet out in front of her and began scratching at the back of her hand. He sat forward and put his hand over both of hers to stop her.

"I know it is a nervous action, but you are going to make a sore spot." He said and she smiled as she stood up and walked over to the bathroom and turned the light on before closing the door behind her. He sighed and cursed himself, but remained hopeful he had not offended Lilliana.

"I am going to clean up, I am dying for a shower!" She shouted through the door. "Play your cards right, and I will save you some hot water. I feel so cruddy and I may have sand in some really weird places. I also do my best thinking in the shower."

Loki laughed to himself and heard the door lock as she turned on the water, he closed his eyes and remembered the stories Frigga once told him in his youth. The one about the maiden who could quell even the most savage of beasts came forward in his mind and he smiled to himself sadly at the memory.

Frigga would have wanted to adopt this fragile girl and nurture her every step as she learned to control her powers, and Frigga would have succeeded long before he had.

Possibly have even shoved her at Thor in an attempt to marry him off to the girl and he would watch the small woman fade next to him in every way. Even in her willful spirit, her flame diminishing as she was pushed to the back by Thor's commanding presence. Loki sighed, finding the thought tragic in itself.

"Tell me about the stars Mother." He remembered himself saying to Frigga one night so long ago, when time and tide had not taken their toll. A time when lies were not forced into the light, and he wanted nothing more than acceptance as a Prince.

"They are the souls of the bravest and kindest hearts to keep us warm at night Loki. They guide us and give us direction, showing us the way when we are most lost." She told him as he stretched his small hands up to the sky.

"Will my soul be there one day?" He turned and asked her and she looked down at him smiling sadly at his question. Death was always an uncomfortable topic for her, and she adored life so much more.

"Do not look so forward to death that you seek it openly my son, you have so much living to do first." She said and smiled down at him as she covered him up to his chin and kissed his forehead. Her smile as always kind, but always on the verge of revealing the truth that he was not truly her son, but she still cared for him as a Mother would. It was never in her nature to not love those who loved her first.

"Sleep now, and dream of great things." She said and left the room and the lights dimmed as he looked back out his window toward the sky and imagined the stars as beings, giving each of them names until he fell asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I felt so much better when I walked out of the bathroom, my hair was clean and I no longer had sand in weird places, and I did find that. Loki was asleep in a carb overdose on his side with his arms crossed over his chest. I was bored and still wide awake so I sat down on the end of the bed and picked up the remote and cracked one of the Cokes as I flipped through the channels for anything interesting. I found District 9 and stopped and watched the whole movie before I opened a bag of gummy bears and sat watching it until the end. Behind me, Loki shifted a few times as he slept and I tried to keep the sound down so he wouldn't be bothered by me. I chewed a candy as the credits started rolling and Alien was announced as the next movie.

Loki rolled over and rubbed his face as he settled onto his back, and I turned up the sound a bit so I could watch the movie at a regular volume.

"Hello sleepy head," I said as he looked at me with one eye between his thin fingers and glanced at the television. "Gummy Bear?"

He sat up and took a couple of the candies from the bag as the movie started, so I turned back to the television and he sat up and scooted next to me.

"How long have I been asleep?" He asked as he opened the other Coke and regarded the television with detached interest. I fixated on the movie and did my best to answer him as I tried to pay some attention to the film in front of me.

"About an hour." I said and focused back on the television. "You were so cute and peaceful, drooling all over yourself, and not trying to take over the world."

I freaked out a bit internally at the joke I cracked, but felt relieved when he ignored it and sat forward and smiled at me. He settled back next to me and took a long drink from the bottle of soda and took more interest in the movie.

"Don't be cute Little Mouse." He said and took another candy from the bag in my hand. "What is this?"

"A movie called Alien, I saw it once but it was a really long time ago." I said and he looked at me. "The people on the ship are commercial pilots for a corporation and they got a signal from a dead planet, the company wants them to check it out before they return the rest of the way back to Earth."

I took another drink and he raised an eyebrow at me as we watched the movie with detached interest, and rolled his eyes at what we found entertaining. I jumped a couple times and hid my face at the scarier scenes, Loki wanted to turn off the movie seeing that the blood and violence bothered me. He reached for the remote a couple times but I stopped him and he relented, but I was still freaked out by it.

"This is probably not the best thing for you to watch." He said and looked at me concerned and I nodded but ignored him to see the ending.

He winced at the same time as me when the monster came out of Kane's chest and I leaned close to him as he convulsed and the blood splattered all over the walls of the ship. Loki wrinkled his nose at the entire scene and I buried my face in my hands through it, turning into his shoulder and almost unable to watch more.

"That is a bit far." He said and I nodded at him.

"I cannot agree more there. But my brain has been running full tilt for the last two days. I need to turn it off for a bit." I groaned as the room darkened and I pulled the blanket over my shoulders and stayed with the movie and shrieked as the full grown alien attacked the crew, picking them off one by one.

"I really don't see the entertainment in this." He said and sat closer to me. "You are terrified and shaking like a leaf, perhaps something else?"

"No, I want to see the end." I said and he stopped pushing at me to change the channel and continued to watch the movie with me, becoming more and more disgusted with it as it came to an end. I laughed a bit when I saw his body language relax as Ripley blew up the ship and escaped. By the end I was pretty much done with gratuitous violence, so I turned off the television and threw the blanket off me stretching. I turned on the lights and I groaned and looked at Loki, who shook his head and I rolled my eyes at him.

"It is all fake." I said and got out the maps and sat back down on the bed. "Rubber props and raspberry syrup."

"Still not very entertaining if you ask me." He said and looked at what I was doing.

I opened the road map of Washington State and spread it out on the bed and pulled a highlighter out of the package we bought and put the cap in my teeth and pulled. I carefully marked a route that was easy enough to follow that took us through Olympia and up I-5 toward Joint Base Lewis McChord. I made other marks on the map as I thought carefully, and I chewed at my bottom lip, I turned on some Skrillex as I worked and made more marks on the map of places we could stop if we needed to.

Loki watched me work with interest and I sighed and sat back thinking as I looked at everything and did a quick search on my phone and altered the route to go down the 512 freeway through Puyallup. I then made a few judgment calls on the route after that marking out more spots and possibilities and sighed.

"We steal a car here, but we are going to want speed on our side later." I said and he looked where I pointed on the map. "Olympia has some car dealerships, so we will look into one there and see about stealing a better car there from one of them. The car will be hotter than hot, so we will need to maybe take a side trip through Puyallup and through Auto Row. Ditch the old car if we have time and continue up through Bellevue and across I-90 to Seattle. There we disappear into the crowd and wait until we find the rest of the geeks, or they find us." I sighed back and he looked at me as I worried he would not approve of the plan.

"Clever." He said and he traced his finger up the route as I watched. "Perhaps we could skip the theft in Puyallup and just get a different car in Bellevue."

"I was thinking that myself, and I-5 is going to be a total cluster fuck the day after tomorrow, so maybe we can bypass Puyallup all together, or maybe just stop for a food break. We can dump the Olympia car in Bellevue and with all that Microsoft and tech money running around, we will have the option to get us a really nice car before going into Seattle. That is where you will com in. We are going to need our Sunday best, like tails and a cocktail dress." I looked at him and he raised an eyebrow at me as I showed him the screen of my phone.

"Stark Industries is hosting a Gala at the Hilton near Bellevue Square." I said and he smiled down at the phone. "Modern cars are next to impossible to steal thanks to the chip technology, so we need to get our hands on the keys. We are going to briefly crash, I will break into the Valet Station and steal a set of keys and we just have to go into the garage and get the car across the street."

Loki read from the phone, and smiled at me wickedly and I knew he had something to add. I cocked my head at him and sighed, waiting to see what he was about to add.

"One request." He said and I smiled at him as he raised a finger. "We steal Stark's car.

I threw my head back and laughed openly as he handed me back the phone and I changed the music to something less grating and tapped Seal.

"We make it that far, and you have yourself a deal." I said and tapped the highlighter on my hand. "Remember that no plan is completely foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool."

Loki sat back and looked down at the map thinking, and I kind of liked how he felt he could make suggestions and his input was actually good. It was nice having someone else around with half a brain.

"Agreed, but remember that you have more talents than most other beings here." He said and I smiled as I took one of the wire coat hangers from the closet and began making a rudimentary Slim Jim.

"How fast of a learner are you?" I asked Loki and he watched me work on reshaping the hanger.

"Why do you ask?" He said and I stopped working and looked up at him.

"You may need to drive some." I said and pushed my sleeves up on my arms as I returned to my work.

"I'm still drained, and it is a long road trip, I don't want to wreck the car along the way and attract attention." I replied and he nodded as I looked back at my work.

"I will pay enough attention to handle the task." I fought with the packaging on the pliers and he sighed and took it from me, opening it for me and handing me back the tools.

"Cool." I said and took another drink from the bottle of Coke. "Just a heads up, if we get caught, I'm a hostage."

He rolled his eyes at my joke as I finished the Slim Jim and set it aside for later, I looked at him as I folded the map and put it in a side pocket of my bag and he sighed.

"Your humor is, as always, amusing." He said sardonically and I laughed.

"Don't take yourself too seriously. We are essentially planning to break several laws here, some of them are actual felonies. But this is the best plan we have at the moment, unless you have any better ideas. Totally open to suggestion here."

"You seem to have it sufficiently planned out." He said and crossed his arms as he looked down at me, the good old arrogant Loki coming out again. I rolled my eyes and ignored him and thought about what we needed for our first car.

"What more could I possibly add?" Loki opened his hands as he sat on his end of the bed and looked at me.

"Great. Now all we need is a deck of cards." I said and rubbed the back of my neck and sighed, trying to not look worried as he stood up and leaned against the wall in thought. I groaned and stretched my neck as I looked at the map of the peninsula and tapped the palm of my hand in thought.

It was getting late, but I was way too wired for sound to sleep at this point and I changed bands on my phone as I thought about how crazy I had to be to even think of what we were about to even consider doing. I closed my eyes and started swaying to the soft music, not caring he was watching me and I turned and picked up the trash and put it all in the waste basket.

"The one hunting you." He said then, breaking the quiet and I turned and looked at him. "What plan do you have for him?"

I shrugged and sat back down on the end of the bed and looked back up at Loki and he watched me. Flashes of a knife slowly heading toward my face made me shudder and I wrapped my arms around myself. I leaned forward and looked back at the wall and tried not to show how I felt, failing miserably at it.

"I don't know." I said and shook again. "I don't even know why he wants me, can we not think about him until Seattle? I honestly just don't want to be afraid for a few minutes more."

I unwrapped my arms from around myself and looked down at my hands as Loki sat down next to me, I tried not to think about the last forty eight hours and his hand closed around one of mine. Trying to offer some comfort as a friend and I sighed at the attempt.

"He is not going to stop until I'm dead is he?" I asked Loki and he squeezed my hand quietly, his fingers feeling nice as they wove in between mine from the back of my hand.

"Let me kill him. " He said and I looked at him as if I couldn't comprehend the words he said. "I do not like being controlled and what I saw in my mind, the images of what he wanted to force me to do to you, I intend to make him suffer so much more."

I turned and looked at him, my heart becoming a lump in my throat as my lower lip trembled. I looked down and wiggled my toes as I tried to not think about what would make Loki hate someone that much, what was intended for me in the near future.

"Do I want to know?" I asked him and he pulled his hand back and looked down in shame.

"I will let you keep your ignorance." Loki said and I blinked and shook for a moment and tried not to cry. His hand came up to my shoulder and I looked back at him and our eyes met and I found something in there that threw reason completely out the window, and the logical parts of my brain stopped working in that moment.

Some part of me clicked into overdrive, and I put my hand up to his face and he sighed at my touch. Hesitating, I leaned close to him and I felt his warm lips on mine and he stiffened suddenly but slowly relaxed and pulled me close to him and returned the kiss.

We broke the kiss quietly, and I sat back and he looked at me and I turned nervously and feeling like a complete idiot. I realized what I did and felt a bit of shock and shame at myself for it. What was I thinking?

"Sorry." I said feeling embarrassed and his hand snaked around the back of my neck and pulled me back to him and he kissed me again. Shocked, I stiffened but melted into him as he stopped and let out a slow breath and grinned at me. And his arms came up around me, and I looked into his eyes and saw a spark of something deeper there.

"Don't be sorry." He said and laughed at me, his hand smoothing my hair.

"I issue no complaints." Loki pulled me close to him and sighed as I lay myself into him and smiled into his chest as he pulled me closer.

"What are you doing?" I mumbled and tried to pull away, but he tightened his arms and refused to let me go.

"Keeping you safe." He said and nuzzled my hair with his nose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up first the next morning, and rolled over to see Loki asleep on his stomach, half his face buried in a pillow and I smiled at him. I sat up and stretched my arms over my head and pulled my sweater down in the back and located my boots at the foot of the bed. I put them on and slipped out into the hall quietly with my coat in my hand and walked toward the lobby.

Nothing more had happened last night after we basically made out, but I still felt weirdly happy as I put on my coat and walked through the lobby doors. I took in the sunny fall morning and jumped in a puddle childishly as I walked water splashing from my boots. I carefully descended the stairs toward the main drag and admired the colors of the late fall trees and heard a boat horn in the distance.

I walked to the coffee shop near the grocery store and ordered two Vanilla Chai Lattes and had them throw in two Cheese Danishes. I put my headphones in and walked back up to the hotel and may or may not have taken my time returning with the hot drinks and morning snacks as I looked in the window of a closed shop and saw my reflection, not quite recognizing the woman who looked back at me but I found I liked her.

I stopped off in the lobby and asked about ferry sailings to cover our butts when we left this evening, and the woman printed me up a copy of the Bainbridge Island Run and handed it to me.

"Thank You." I said and folded the paper up and stuffed it into my pocket, the balancing act of the two drinks and the food must have been comical to see as I walked up the stairs, but I did not complain. The sight of me juggling lattes and Danishes must have been even better as I struggled to get the key out of my jeans pocket when the door flew open and I was greeted by a wild eyed Loki.

"Mornin' sunshine, Latte?" I asked and how I managed to not dump hot milk and tea all over the both of us still remains a mystery to this day, because he pulled me in the room by my arm and I spun around as he closed the door and held me tight to him for several moments.

"Where did you go?" He asked, obviously upset and I rolled my eyes at the question.

"I got us some breakfast." I said extricating my arm from him and waved a paper wrapped pastry under his nose. He took it from me and sat back on the couch as I handed him a drink and sipped at mine as I sat cross legged on the bed.

"Don't do that again," he said and sighed. "I was worried when I woke and you were gone."

"Sorry." I said and shrugged as I looked at him. He glared at me and I rolled my eyes at him in response.

"I will be sure to warn you next time, but I am fine I went to a very sinister coffee shop though. I think the owner may be a Warlock." I joked and he looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"I do not find that funny." He snapped at me but still smiled at me.

"Drink your tea." I sighed out and he sipped it after removing the plastic lid, if he was going to get all overprotective on me, this whole deal was never going to work out.

"You are still hunted, think about that." He said and wrapped both his hands around his cup as he looked around the room. His eyes returning to me and I shrugged in response to him.

"I am painfully aware of that fact," I said and groaned. "But can you please recognize that I am a survivor and can handle a lot more then simple coffee run?"

He looked down at the contents of his cup and thought silently to himself and I felt bad for getting snippy with him, but I couldn't go through this with him hanging over my shoulder every time I turned around.

"I can." He said and looked up at me and squinted back down at his tea. "What kind of tea is this exactly?"

"It is called Chai." I said and he nodded. "I had them add vanilla for some sweetness. They pour steamed milk into it and it gives it a richer taste."

"I like it." He said and I laughed at him, throwing my head back as he drank some more.

"Score one for Earth." I said and he smiled as he threw the wrapped pastry at me.

"What do we do today?" He asked as I tossed his Danish back to him, and started unwrapping mine.

"We look for possible cars, and make sure we know where they will be tonight." I said and Loki looked at me as I took a bite of the sugary confection, and chewed.

"How many do you intend to actually steal?" He asked me with genuine interest and I laughed.

"Just one, but we need to have at least four options in case of several contingencies. And they need to pass my quality control before we mark them as such. Automatic Transmissions, no alarms, and older than 1999. The car alarm thing is the most important. I don't want to get stuck with a shotgun in my face or trying to outrun an angry owner in the middle of the night through unfamiliar streets." I said and he leaned back and studied me.

"This has happened before?"

"Yeah, I once was going after a Ferarri for Dave and the owner caught me, I had to run with a shotgun going off over my head. Took me a week to get all the bird shot out of my shoulder. Dave nearly lost his shit when I told him I had to scope out a different car." I said and pulled the back of my shirt up to show him the only scar I had from the event. It was where a very stubborn piece of buckshot hit me that I had to dig out with a pair of tweezers and a razor. I super glued the cut shut, and meant to see about getting a tattoo over it to remind myself to duck. I never got around to it though, and maybe it was a good thing.

"I don't even want to tell you how much that hurt. But a job is a job, and you don't say no to Dave." I laughed and Loki turned pale at the scar.

"You are a survivor, but if this is going to end like that," He said as I tucked the back of my sweater into my jeans. "I wish to protest this action. I do not relish the thought of tending any wounds that you may receive."

"You are in this too, and taller than me, you technically are the bigger target. Also, this is exactly why we are going to scope out the cars first. That way we know what we are getting into." I said and he looked at me as I finished my breakfast and drained the last of my latte.

"You are clever, I like that. When we return to Seattle, may I pay this Dave a visit?" He asked me and I raised my eyebrow as I looked at him.

"I have a few things I would like to do to him for threatening you." He said and I smiled but shook my head at him.

"Let's avoid trouble Magic Dance." I said and sighed. "I am a survivor, and maybe looking for trouble is not the best thing to do right now. But if we cross paths with him, you can have all the fun you want. I just don't want to watch." He nodded at me and I flopped back and groaned at the ceiling in thought.

"It is going to be a long day Little Mouse, are you strong enough to handle everything?" He said and I gave him a thumbs up over my head and rubbed my face.

"You bet your ass I am."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By noon, we had found and made notes about five different cars that were good possibilities and we began wandering the main drag, weaving in and out if different stores and looking at things. Loki found some interest in items that lined the shelves of a New Age shop, and admired the different crystals and carved stones when I laughed like a hyena and held up a shirt for him to read.

"If found, please return to Loki." He read and I laughed as he gave a bemused smile and chuckled. I folded it up neatly, putting it back on the shelf and paid for a purple and black Shemaugh. As he looked at a few books, and sighed.

"Maybe you should have gotten the shirt." He said as we walked out of the store. "Seeing you wear that about Asgard could be amusing." I laughed hard at the mental image and nodded.

"I take it that you don't laugh much." I said to him, and he looked at me in veiled surprise.

"I do when the occasion calls for it." He replied giving me a bland look as I rolled my eyes and looked up at him. Yeah, I was flirting, and it was awkward.

"You should do it more," I teased and sighed. "It is a nice sound."

We walked along and looked in windows, and admired some clothes and different antiques. Eventually finding ourselves on the edge of the town, on a sandy beach with a lighthouse, long abandoned and we looked in the windows to see nothing but the decay left behind by years of neglect. I heard whispers of ghosts as I approached the building, and I stepped up on my toes to look in the window at another angle and saw stacks of ledgers and records left on a desk haphazardly. A coffee mug, left by a careless Park Ranger sat covered in a layer dust, and I stepped back and the cold breeze made me shiver.

We climbed the rocky sea wall and found a nice place to sit and watch the container ships glide past us on Admirality Inlet, from parts of the world unknown to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. They would offload their goods and wait to be loaded with goods for export, leaving the same way they came in and heading back across the oceans toward exotic ports.

I rested my head onto Loki's shoulder and he put his arm up around my back, I mused that we could have passed for just another normal couple sitting on the rocks and watching the ocean. The sad truth was that our lives were so far from normal, it was scary. Two messed up people just trying to survive, neglected and pushed into the background to just become furniture by the people we trusted. Born to believe on thing, to have the tablecloth ripped out from under us and to be shown we were something completely different. I sighed, and he turned his head and looked at me.

Pay no attention to the truth behind the curtain, it will depress you and make you hate yourself.

The sun was warm, and the wind off the ocean cold, but neither one of us complained as the ships created wake turbulence that slapped off the rocks around us and the world rotated on, ignoring us as we observed it. I wanted to stay on those rocks and never leave, eventually becoming part of them, adding to the strength of the sea wall. Fading into obscurity, but I knew that life and time pushed on and waited for no one.

"What is that?" Loki said and pointed to the black fin connected to a black and white hump that breached the surface and let out a misty spray.

"An Orca Whale." I said and it surfaced again as it passed us and we watched it as its tail came up and slapped the water as it dove under the surface again. "It is probably migrating south before the winter makes the water of Puget Sound too cold for it to survive. It will winter in the warmer waters off the coast of California and Mexico and come back next spring." I said and it surfaced again to let out a misty spray that sparkled and created a rainbow in the sun.

"It is beautiful." He said and I smiled at his observation.

"It really is." I said and felt sadness creep in, thinking about all the times I never really just sat and watched the world. Instead I spent so much time hating it, and I was filled with regret at my arrogance.

"This is nice." He said calmly, and I giggled at him.

"I am glad you approve." I snuggled in closer to him and he seemed to enjoy the closeness of me and I sighed again as we sat quietly. Looking at the horizon and smiling out at the ocean and its vast mysteries. I took in a deep breath of the salty waves and let it out slowly as we continued to sit and watch the container ship pass us by.

"I had a thought." He said and I laughed as a ferry lazily appeared on the horizon, and began growing as it came closer to us.

"Don't hurt yourself." I poked at him.

"Be civil." He chided and I giggled. "But you do know that everyone in Asgard is going to seek my head, and assume that I used my gifts to sway you."

I laughed again as the ferry navigated the channel and the bell on one of the buoys began to ring from the disturbance on the water as it rocked back and forth. I had thought of that last night and I pretty much though it would be best to keep my distance from Loki to save his hide when we got back. He did not need my shit in his life, and he would probably be better off if it went that route.

"I will set them straight if it comes to that," I said and smiled into his neck and he made a surprised sound. "I know you have tried, I could feel it, but it never worked. I think my gifts have made me immune."

"I know, and I have tried, mostly to calm you down before you loose control of your powers when you are upset, I apologize for the attempts." He said and I nodded.

"It is fine, if it bothered me so much, I would have said something earlier or knocked you off your feet or something." I said as the ferry started turning to enter the Inlet and he let out a breath.

"I am glad I have your forgiveness, but I still wonder if I deserve it."

"Shut up, you admitted to it and apologized, I forgave you. Just don't do it again, it is easy to ask for forgiveness, but actions are the real measure of how much you really regret what you have done." I replied and he tightened his arm around my back.

"Do you believe in atonement for one's sins?" He asked and tensed, obviously fearing the answer, and I sighed and pecked him on the cheek gently. He looked over at me and I gave him a sheepish smile and he chuckled to himself.

"Yes, I do." I said and rested my head again. "I believe that second chances are sometimes all we have. I also believe that all you have to do is ask for them, or let your actions speak for you where words fail you. Sometimes all we have are those chances, and if only one person forgives you. Then that is forgiveness enough." He relaxed a bit and smiled, and I felt his head turn and he gave a quick exhale to show he approved.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked him and he nodded to say that I could.

"Why do you even want to be a King? It sounds like too much trouble to go through to one up someone like Thor." He chuckled and took in a breath.

"Wouldn't you want to command power and respect? To have the adoration of a populace, and to be worshiped for your greatness?" He asked me and I laughed and shook my head.

"No," I said and he jerked a bit. "Honest truth, I wouldn't want to be that lonely, and crowns are really lonely things. People love you for just being in charge, and I want to be loved for the person I am. Not some stupid title or the fact that they fear me."

"You are a strange girl." He said and I looked at him, pulling back a bit.

"What do you want more, to be respected for who you are? Or to be respected for what you are? You will be very lonely up there, and eventually you will hate the burden it will become. Look at me, everyone is more afraid of me because of my genetics and whatever is inside me. I'm cursed by them, why ask or force loyalty when you can let them come to you in respect for who you are." I said and sighed feeling stupid for what I had just said.

"I see your point Little Mouse," Loki said. "But I fear Thor taking power and causing calamity for Asgard, he is arrogant and fool hearted. His power will be fleeting, and I would fear him not for myself, but for you as well."

I groaned and rested my head back on his shoulder sadly.

"And you are not arrogant yourself?" I said and I could feel him turn his head and look at the top if mine. "Don't look to change the order of things when it is not yours to change."

"You truly see me." Loki said and I suddenly felt fear that I had said too much, and tried to vanish a bit. The ocean stirred and slapped on the rocks below us as we watched the ferry go by, its engine droning as it pushed against the tide and I felt Loki put his hand onto my shoulder and rub it gently.

"You asked my opinion, sorry if it is not the one you were looking for." I said and he chuckled a bit and leaned his cheek onto the top of my head.

"I value it," He said and I smiled. "Honesty is rare, and I like that, but you deserve a King."

"I don't want a King," I groaned and he looked into me. "I want someone who cares about me enough to protect me. Someone who shares their knowledge with me and respects me, the goofy guy who lets me call him Magic Dance." He laughed again at me and I felt annoyed.

"I don't like when you are upset." He said and I lifted my head and looked at him.

"Then stop looking for things that are not yours, and be content with the cards you have been dealt, you keep fighting against what is to be, and you are going to loose what you do already have." He looked at me and wrapped his arms around me as he kissed me, and pulled back gently and rested his forehead against mine. My eyes focused and I felt shy again as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"That is what I am afraid of, becoming so blind by ambition and drive again that I forget the things that matter to me. I will always fear loosing that." He replied and I smiled sadly, a ship horn echoed off the shore and I let out a breath.

"Then don't be ambitious, just strive to be alive." I said and shivered in the cold wind off the ocean.

"Are you cold?" He asked me and I nodded. We didn't move again for a long time and I rested my head against his shoulder as I hugged him. I was not exactly sure what he was thinking and I was scared to ask, worried that I would not like the answer as I pulled back a bit.

"We should go, we need to get some things form the grocery before tonight." I said and he helped me down from the rocks, catching me as my foot slipped and I nearly fell into a void between them into the frigid water below.

"Your opinion will always matter to me Little Mouse, and if I am not to be a King, then I shall be content to be your Tutor." He said as we walked back to the town, the lighthouse a lonely sentinel, guarding the Inlet against invisible invaders.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I have to warn you," I said as Loki picked up my can of Red Bull and looked at it. "That is a massive amount of caffeine you are about to ingest."

He raised an eyebrow at me, and look a large drink from the can and cringed as he swallowed quickly from the taste, I gave him a sheepish grin as he went into the bathroom and filled a glass with water and drank it and shuddered at me. I crossed my arms and looked at him and giggled at his reaction.

"Bitter." He said disgusted and I laughed. "How can you drink that willingly?"

I put the other three cans into my bag and continued to laugh as I packed everything, doing a last check of the room to ensure we didn't miss anything. We did not want to leave anything that may trip the cops or anyone else to the fact that Loki was once here, and I wanted to be sure we put several miles between us and town before they realized that we had stolen the car.

"I need something to keep me awake." I said as I slipped the Slim Jim into my jacket pocket and used a hand towel to wrap the hammer and screwdriver before putting them both into the bag on top of everything. I then checked the flashlight to see if it still worked, despite my just putting fresh batteries into it.

Measure twice, cut once.

I then slipped the rapid release folding knife into the top of my boot and performed a few practice draws as Loki watched, mostly to make sure I could pull it fast and flip it open in an emergency and also to burn off nervous energy. I returned it to the top of my boot and sighed as I drained the last of the can of Red Bull, and tossed the empty can into the air, knocking it into the trash with a pulse of energy.

"It is coming back." I said and looked at him. "Good thing too, I may need to blow up some security cameras along the way to cover us."

"Just take care no to stress yourself too much Little Mouse." He said and I looked at him and nodded as I threw the room keys onto the bed.

"Concern for a friend?" I teased and zipped the bag shut and checked the time on my phone.

"Concern for you." He said and put his arms around my waist, turning my head gently to look me in the eyes. "Do not let your need to protect me outweigh your self preservation."

I smiled at him and nodded, but made no promises, at this point we needed each other to survive and I would walk through hell itself to keep him breathing if I had to.

"We better get moving." I said and he sighed at me. "We have to get onto the road soon if we want to make Olympia before dawn, and we still don't know which cars will still be where we found them this afternoon." I began to shrug my bag on and he stopped me before I could and took it from me, and looped his arm through the straps and I gave a snort.

"Be careful, not only for yourself." He said and I smiled at him nervously, and fought to keep my doubts from surfacing.

"You too Magic Dance," I said and wrapped the shemaugh I bought earlier around my neck, and carefully arranged it so it draped down the front of my coat so I could pull the scarf up over my nose and mouth. He opened the door and tossed his key onto the bed next to mine as he waited for me to finish arranging myself, I tucked the braid of my hair down the back of my coat to keep it out of the way.

We walked down to the Lobby and checked the map of the town I kept folded up in my pocket as I nervously checked my phone again. We pushed through the doors and into the quiet streets of Port Townsend. We walked quietly, no joking or banter as walked away from the downtown and we headed into the residential streets. I slipped my hands into the pair of black leather gloves and opened a button on the wool coat as we headed down a darkened street.

Loki followed me as we walked fast to the first car we saw as a possibility, but the 1992 Subaru Station Wagon was gone. I cursed internally and we wasted no time walking to the second spot where we marked as our second possibility. That truck was sitting in front of the house on the gravel lined sidewalk that edged the road, and I quickened my pace. Loki broke off from me and continued to walk toward the end of the block. My heart started pounding in my chest as I crouched down in the bushes and waited for his signal to start working on getting the 1985 Chevy Pickup truck. It was older than I liked, but it was a late enough model that would keep the cops from going out of their way to look for it and time was going to become a luxury.

Not long after I hid, I saw a flicker of green light at the end of the road and I slipped from the bushes and around the driver's side of the truck. My heart hammered in my chest as I slipped the wire out of my coat and began working quickly and as quietly as possible.

It actually took no time to get the truck open and I slid down behind the steering column and turned the flashlight on and put it into my teeth as I pulled the pliers out of my pocket to hot wire the truck. My hands shook as I felt for the wires, when a flash of silver caught my attention and I looked dumbly at the set of keys hanging from the ignition. I could have cheered at the key, and smiled to myself as I looked around myself in the cab and found three beer cans on the passenger side floor and laughed to myself as I slid up into the seat.

"Thank god for drunk rednecks." I said and unlocked the passenger side door and started the truck, releasing the parking break and putting it into gear. I drove to the end of the road where Loki stood, the illusion of a dog sniffing about the grass at the side of the road on a leash in front of him as he watched the road. He saw me, and made the illusion vanish, and I nodded as he climbed into the truck quickly and looked around himself as he sat down.

"I thought that would take a bit longer." He said and I laughed as he buckled his seat belt and I turned to drive around the block and back toward the main road.

"The owner left the keys in the ignition, how thoughtful of him." I said and laughed as he looked at me. "The dog was a nice touch back there."

I turned on the headlights and followed the road carefully to Highway 20 and made another turn toward the main road through town.

"Thank you." He said and smiled sheepishly and looked down at his feet frowning as the smell of stale beer floated up from the floorboards.

"Do you think the rest of our plan will run this smoothly?" He asked as he tossed the smelly beer cans out the window, and I shrugged as I took the map out of my pocket and checked the rear view mirror and found it blissfully empty.

"We can hope." I said as I accelerated toward the 101 and away from the town. "We have a full tank, and there will be a place along the way to refuel, I also promised you we would steal Stark's car." I smiled at him as he watched what I was doing carefully, and eased back into his seat looking comfortable.

"This is actually a bit fun." He said to me as we hit the 101 interchange and I laughed again.

"Wait until the second date," I said and wiggled my eyebrows at him. "We hold up a liquor store and liberate a Third World Nation."

He laughed at my joke and rested his hand on my knee as I drove on and the road disappeared under the truck tires and we drove forward into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

We made Olympia as the first hints of sun peeked over the horizon, and dumped the truck behind a Haggen Market where I used the screwdriver to remove the plates from the front and back of the beast for use later. I stuffed them into my backpack as we left the vehicle behind, we couldn't waste any time as we moved and I wanted to be back on the road. We walked fast to a used car lot and found a used, yellow Dodge Charger that was in really great shape, Loki nodded his approval as I used the flashlight to look under the car for a LoJack system and found none. I wrote the key number down on my wrist from the sticker and we went around to the dealership office, being careful to avoid the cameras as we walked between the cars. Not that it would matter in a few minutes, but you could never tell with a talented Hacker, something may survive the next phase of my plan.

Me? Paranoid, maybe just a little.

"I really hope this works." I said and drew my power in and held it, letting it pulse in my chest and continued to let it build until I felt like I had enough to properly control and accomplish what I needed.

"What are you doing Little Mouse?" Loki asked me concerned and I ignored him to concentrate on shifting the energy as I began to lift into the air and felt my toes leave the asphalt covered ground. I released the energy in a controlled burst that wrapped around the building only and disrupted the power flowing into the dealership, electrical currents overloaded as the alarm system and all the computers inside the building popped and exploded in the quiet dawn. I fell back to the ground and landed on my butt, and groaned as Loki rushed over to me as I recovered. I stood up brushing the dirt off my fanny and groaned again in pain.

"Controlled Electro Magnetic Pulse." I said and smiled. "I basically disrupted all the circuits in the building and fried all the systems. So cool, and effective if you don't want to get caught." I said and pulled the hammer out of my bag, swinging it at the glass door and breaking a hole in it large enough to fit my gloved hand through close to the lock. I carefully put my hand through the hole and turned the lock pushing the door open and walked with Loki behind me to the office of the manager and found the wall mounted key boxes for all the cars. I checked the number on my wrist and compared it to the codes written on the outside of the two boxes quickly and nearly missed the number in my haste. But slowed down and took in a breath when I found it.

I put my hand over the lock on the box and built up a pulse of energy that shattered the lock and the case opened as I smiled and looked at the hanging keys, finding the one we wanted and flipped it up into my hand and showed it to Loki.

"Easy peasey." I said and began walking toward the back door of the dealership. Feeling cocky. I used a pulse of energy to shatter the locking mechanism and we sprinted out onto the lot behind the building.

"That was impressive." Loki said as we returned to the Dodge, and I clicked the unlock button on the key fob. Moving fast, I pulled the sale sticker off the back window and tossed it over my shoulder as Loki got into the car on the passenger side and I opened the driver's side door and started the car. I drove to the front entrance to the lot and rolled down the window and stuck my hand out it and used a pulse of energy to move the car parked across the entrance to prevent car theft from the lot out of the way. We bumped and skidded into the street and I slammed the car into gear as I blew through a red light and we hauled ass toward the first safe spot to switch the plates out for the ones from the abandoned truck.

There is always a method to my madness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We found a mall parking lot, where I left the car idling and quickly switched out the plates and threw the original ones into a trashcan. Working fast we wasted no time tearing out of the parking lot, and I laughed as we drove through the nearly abandoned streets.

"We so have this!" I shouted and Loki laughed obviously happier with the nicer car. "Get me another Red Bull, I need a bit of caffeine before I fall asleep."

I merged the car onto I-5 and headed North and Loki sighed, but dug through the backpack at his feet for the can. He stopped and looked at me and I rolled my eyes back at him.

"You need sleep." He said scolding me and I yawned as if to agree with him, checking a sign as we passed it on the freeway.

"When we get to DuPont, I will stop and find a place to sleep for an hour or so." I promised him. "Is it possible that my powers are getting stronger the more I use them? I really don't feel so drained like I normally am after a long release like that."

"It is like a muscle," Loki said and closed his eyes as the sun hit him in the face. "The more you use your powers, the stronger they become and the more stamina you build."

"Cool." I said and sighed as I looked over at him briefly. "I don't like being what I am, but I guess I can come to terms with it all. Not that I have much of a choice."

The road droned on under us, and by the time we hit Lacey, I was struggling to keep control of the car. Road hypnosis took over and my eyelids kept wanting to close, my body wanted to shut down. Loki must have noticed it as well, because he had to gently shake me as I crossed over the wake up strip on the shoulder and the loud hum filled the car. I snapped awake and groaned, shifting in the seat and sighed.

"I think I am going to have to give in and let you drive for a bit." I sighed out and took the next exit as I gave him a quick rundown of the controls and how to tell his speed as he drove. Traffic laws, and using a turn signal was included, he listened closely to me as I pulled into the WalMart parking lot and switched seats with him.

"You want to really keep it around fifty-five." I said as we did a few laps in the parking lot. "It will keep the cops off of us, and not attract any attention." I said as he pulled the car out onto the street carefully and watched him turn the car toward the freeway.

"You are getting it, pretty soon I will have to teach you how to drift. Then we can race for Pink Slips." I said as he eased the car back onto the freeway heading north and gave me a sidelong glance.

"Just get some sleep, I believe I have this mastered." Loki said and I laughed as he drove on and gave an annoyed sigh.

"When you see a sign for JBLM, wake me up." I said and reclined the seat and put my arm over my eyes and let them close. "I trust you not to kill the both of us." I sighed and yawned as the drone of the macadam under the tires and the hum of the engine lulled me into sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He was growing impatient, and boredom was quickly setting in.

The Presence knew that if she were allowed to grow stronger, she would be harder to kill ultimately and he needed her weakness on his side. He stretched his mind out harder and clenched a fist at not being able to find her, she was still being protected by another force, and he was growing frustrated.

"Loki." He sneered, and wanted to rip the lungs out of the man, and make her watch as he died of suffocation before he killed the girl in the slowest way possible. Emotions were not something he was used to having, and this body afforded him too many, he wanted out of it and was biding his time until he gained his release.

He reached his mind out to Asgard and found no indication among the people and council that Odin kept of her being found, he only found whispers of the betrayal of Loki and they wanted him to be brought back to face justice. They thought he had her and was holding her for use against their King, they also feared she was going to help him. He savored their distrust, and sampled their anger as he listened into their thoughts. He opened his eyes, and looked out the window into space and smiled into the blackness, this could work out so well for him in the end.

He folded his hands behind his back and stretched his mind out into the cosmos, listening for any signs of her and feeling for a spark to mark the soul that burned within her. The soul that linked him to her in life and death.

Nothing. Frustratingly nothing.

Patience however was what he had and time would work on his side, she would be found eventually. Be it stubbornness or providence, he would find her and he would wrap his fist around her throat and choke the life out of her.

A sudden beam of light startled The Presence out of his thoughts, he sensed four Asgardians traveling faster than light through the universe and pulled their destination from the mind of one of the travelers.

A small, blue planet in the Sol System.

Earth.

"How may jumps to Earth?" He asked the Kree General and coordinates were entered into a panel.

'Six." The General replied and The Presence looked out the window again and smiled a smile that left the rest of his face bland.

"Then let us begin." He said and continued to listen for the sounds of a throat begging to be cut.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki gently shook me awake and I nearly freaked out when I saw we were parked in the South Hill Mall parking lot in Puyallup. We were way past JBLM, and I was annoyed he did not listen to me. I rubbed my face and glared at him, and he put a hand up to stop me before I yelled at him.

"You were sleeping so peacefully, I did not want to wake you." He said, calming me a bit as I looked out the windshield at the Macy's and rubbed my face again to shake off sleep and sighed.

"You didn't get lost?" I asked and he held up my road map and smiled, opening my bag and pulling out a now warm Red Bull. I pulled the rapid release knife out of my boot and flicked it open with a quick movement of my wrist and stabbed the bottom of the can, opening it with a pop. I then shot gunned the drink as I pulled the tab and shivered as the first tickles of caffeine hit my brain. Loki raised an eyebrow at me as he watched the scene play out and frowned as my head stopped swimming. I checked the time and leaned back in the seat to let myself wake up a bit more for a moment.

"What was the purpose of that?" He asked me as astonishment crossed his face and voice.

"It is a very fast and efficient caffeine delivery system." I said and smiled at him. "We may just be able to skip our plan to ditch this car here and just make for Bellevue, but I need food and to stretch my legs. I just woke up, but am already going a bit stir crazy."

I pulled up info for the mall we had stopped in on my phone, and I called up a layout of the stores as well as a list of available options for food. I checked the cash flow and found we still had enough to get by if we needed it, and sighed again as my head did a tilt.

"What do you propose?" He asked me and I sighed.

"These clothes are getting gross, you can only do so much in a shower. I can get a change and one for you if you want one, and they have food court. I say we shop for a bit and get something to eat. If the car has not attracted too much attention by the time we finish, then we will just head up to Bellevue and drop this car for the next one. I know you got attached to her, but we will have to say goodbye." I said and he smiled at me as I tapped away at the phone and I shrugged back at him.

"Where do you wish to go?" He asked me and I laughed.

"An island paradise, where you can get those really colorful drinks. They have tiny paper umbrellas in them, and the ocean is as blue as the sky." I joked and he laughed at me, pointing at the huge building.

"I meant here silly girl." Loki replied and I laughed at his teasing me.

"You have obviously never been to a mall." I said and he rolled his eyes as I clicked the knife shut in my hand and put it back in my boot.

"Come on Magic Dance, I will get you a Cinnabon if you are a good Mischief God." I said and grabbed my bag and started heading toward the entrance to Macy's.

"I am as always, exhilarated." He said sardonically as we walked toward the mall. He handed me the car key as we entered into the department store and started digging through the racks of clothes.

I found a pair of low rise skinny jeans in black that were not to spendy and grabbed a new pair of socks and underwear as I went to pay for my stuff. I nearly lost it when Loki tried to follow me into the changing room and had to stop him before he created a scene on accident.

"This is a women only zone." I said as I turned and stopped him, he looked at me as I handed him my backpack and I pointed at some chairs where two other men sat, looking like they wished for death as they looked down at their phones. He sighed back down at me and rolled his eyes in annoyance at me.

"Ladies change their clothes in here, if anything goes wrong, I will scream bananas." I said and he relented, taking the bag and walking to the chairs.

"Just don't be too long." He chided and I walked through the door to put on a clean set of undergarments and jeans.

While I changed, it hit me how I had basically reduced a God to waiting for the girlfriend status and found it completely hilarious. Sinking to my knees in the stall as I laughed, I had to take deep breaths as I sat on the floor and tried to pull myself together before I could put my jeans on. The laughter turned into tears and I let out a weeks worth of depression as I crumpled on the floor. I sighed as I stood up and pulled my old jeans off and put the new ones on. I used the old pair to clean my face up and I pressed my hands against the mirror to further collect myself. I tucked the cuffs of the new jeans into the tops of my boots and laced them up, checking myself in the mirror I turned and liked what I saw and smiled at myself.

"Damn, I have a great ass." I said and I heard another woman in the next stall snort rudely.

"You wish slut." The woman in the next stall said, being catty through the walls.

"Too good for a Mortal Man bitch." I said and hit the wall with a closed fist, realizing what I had said and internally rolling my eyes at my choice of words.

I gathered up my old clothes and stuffed them down into the shopping bag to be thrown away inside the mall. I walked out to the waiting trio of men and one of the other two guys sitting on the chairs with Loki tapped the other on the arm and checked me out as Loki glared at him. He turned away from them as the other men made it their business to look at my ass as we left the store, and I rolled my eyes at the attention.

"Another shop?" He said curtly, and I rolled my eyes as I threw away the bag of old clothing and pulled the waistband of my jeans up a bit and settled them onto my hips.

"I need a new shirt and a hoodie maybe." I said and caught him looking at the jeans and he made a face of disapproval.

"You know…" He said and I shushed him immediately and he rolled his eyes annoyed.

"Yeah," I said and rolled my eyes. "Other men are going to look, so unless you want to leave a body count of epic proportions, get over it." I crossed my arms and he looked back at me.

"I am not going to throw a blanket over my head or lock myself in a room to make you comfortable, I have a body, and I have enough integrity to tell other guys to fuck off. Drop the trust issues, and learn to trust me." He laughed at my scolding and we walked up the concourse to another store. A few men did stare, women as well. We both ignored them, and I smiled up at him.

"I suppose you are right Little Mouse." He said and sighed, I don't want you to get hurt though.

"I know, but remember…."

"You are a survivor." He said, cutting me off as we walked and I smiled and leaned into him and he regarded me with amusement.

"You are such a vexing girl sometimes." He said. I rolled my eyes, and laughed loudly as we walked past a teen aged couple, the guy had his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and he carried her bags as her told her things that made her smile. Loki watched them and he then mimicked them and put his arm up around my shoulders as we walked. I laughed again at his efforts, and nearly fell off my feet when I stopped short to pick on him and he caught me across the back of my neck with his arm.

We went into another store and I bought a black t shirt with two stylized angel wings down the back, a studded belt, sunglasses, and a purple hoodie with white skeletons dancing across he back. I laughed and held up another hoodie for Loki to try on and he slipped it over his head and it actually looked good on him, but he looked uncomfortable so I let him pass on it. He endured the torture of shopping and found us a seat with our tray of sandwiches from Subway in the food court as I ducked into the women's room to change my clothes and dump the ones I had on.

We ate quietly, and I looked at news reports on my phone for anything concerning our activities, but nothing popped up. A couple douche bag teens made rude gestures at me and I rolled my eyes, managing to ignore the group, but I could tell Loki was having a hard time with it. To be mean I used a bit of power to knock the chair out from underneath one of them and he hit the ground hard. His friends laughed and I used a bit more power to knock another one of them out of his chair and the group panicked and they stood up and left in a hurry as Loki gave me a bemused smile.

"Brilliant Little Mouse." He said and I gave him a sly smile.

"Told you I could handle myself against their devil penis music, plus guys like that are a public nuisance." I said as we got up and threw our trash away and left the mall and headed back to the car.

"You endured that with panache." I said as I got into the car and started it up, putting on my new sunglasses and swung the car out of the parking lot and navigated it through the streets. He pinched his lips together and I looked at him and could tell something was bothering him. I tried to blow him off as I merged into traffic on the 512 and glanced out the window at the fairgrounds on my left side, I finally gave in and slapped the steering with a gloved hand and groaned.

"What is it now Mr. Grumpy?" I asked him and he looked at me, his stormy eyes irritated and I rolled my eyes so hard I swear I could see my own brain.

"What is that on your hip?" He asked and I sighed as I changed lanes and merged onto the 167 and continued North.

"It is a tattoo. A permanent piece of art marked on my skin in ink, using needles. Want one?" I said and used one hand to pull the waistband of my jeans down to show him the inked Cherokee Rose beautifully etched in my skin. The white petals, and green leaves curled and shaded with skill, and he looked at it.

"Why?" He asked me as I changed lanes to overtake a slow driver and snorted when I saw it was an old man who could barely see over the wheel.

"It is to remind me that there will always be hope, no matter what happens." I said. "After Michael, I went to a very dark place, I stood on the edge of a bridge, I had nowhere else to go and felt like the whole universe was against me. I cursed God, and I cursed Fate as I stood on the railing of the bridge and leaned forward to jump when some random homeless guy grabbed me and pulled me back. I hated him for saving me, but he told me how it was not my time and that I had to fight, his personal angel told him to save me because I was meant for so much more. The guy was nuts, completely out of his mind and probably high, but some part of me said he was right."

"The next day, I woke up and found an artist and had him draw me a few designs, I chose this one, and I got the tat." I said and he looked at me sadly, and looked down at the rose as I let go of my waistband and let it slide back up.

"The man was right, you have a greater purpose." Loki said and I smiled at him.

"I didn't know it then, if I had, I probably would not have been such a mess. Are you really disgusted by it?" I asked as he glanced at it and his fingers touched it gently, and my heart skipped a beat.

"No." He said and I relaxed a bit and let the car slow, he removed his fingers and my heart stopped fluttering as he leaned back into his seat.

"It is part of you, and it is rather beautiful." He said and looked at me. I smiled and pulled at the waistband of my jeans smoothing it over my hip to get the belt to stop digging into my hip and he closed his eyes briefly and let out a breath. I glanced into the rear view mirror to see a convoy of Black SUVs bearing down on us, surrounding silver Audi, and I tensed.

"Shit!" I said and Loki turned in his seat to look out the rear window as the black monsters boxed us in and the Audi blew past on the shoulder, I tensed more as the people in the vehicles stared at me and I wanted to become part of my seat in the car.

"We may have a problem." He said and I nodded at him and shook as my heart started to pound.

"I thought they would escort him up I-5 to 90." I said and let fear edge its way in and I looked around me and another SUV flashed its brights at us. I slowed slightly and merged over to the shoulder and wrapped my hand around the parking brake. Seeing that we were coming up on an on ramp, and I decided that if the issues continued, I would take my chances in one way traffic.

A red haired woman in the passenger seat of the SUV next to us did a double take as us and I tightened my hand on the steering wheel. She pulled a gun out and racked the slide back and my eyes widened as she motioned for me to duck, I froze for a half second. Looking at the gun and tried not to panic, but I think my face gave away some fear because she motioned to someone in the back seat and the wondow began to roll down.

"I am guessing she knows you?" I said and prepared to take the 18 interchange.

"I may have called her a quim after threatening her." He said as I jerked the wheel to the right and screeched down the ramp, yanking up hard on the parking brake and drifting the car around the curve. Loki pushed back into his seat and looked ahead, wild eyed as I controlled the skid and released the brake and shot down the highway.

"Douche move Loki! Women take stuff like that personally:" I accelerated down 18 toward I-5 and looked into the rear view to see the SUV rumbling after me like a relentless juggernaut. I grabbed the parking brake again and he saw what I was doing and I prepared my next move. The Charger had a better center of gravity than the monster SUV, and it was faster too, but they had the skills of SHIELD agents. Not to mention a redhead with a gun and with a vendetta, we had me and I had a working knowledge from years of being a criminal. Not to mention a few powers I was too tired to use.

The odds were stacked against us getting away, but I intended to make them work for it.

"I am inclined to agree." He said as I jerked the brake up and wrenched the steering wheel around, putting the car into a controlled skid again as I slammed the accelerator down and tires screeched again and. I released the brake and drove across the grassy median and onto the eastbound lanes, throwing up grass and dirt in my wake. Loki yelled and pushed back into his seat again.

"Have you lost your mind!" He shouted as I sped off, weaving in and out of cars. The SUV struggling to keep up, and I laughed but it got cut off as a bullet came within inches of my right ear. Loki growled as it punched through the windshield, and I wove the car around a semi truck, using them as a shield against any more flying bullets.

I rolled down the window as the SUV gained on us and I used a pulse of energy to tip the trailer of another semi truck over. I groaned when it tipped over onto the shoulder, and another bullet slammed into the trunk of the car as the pursuing car gained on us.

"Stop shooting my stolen car bitch!" I screamed and Loki snorted as I passed another truck and hit it with a pulse, this time jackknifing the truck and tipping it over and watched as it skidded across the two lanes of highway. Effectively blocking it.

I screamed in triumph and let the car slow bit by bit as we drove down the highway, Loki gave me an impressed smile and let out a tense breath. I pumped my fist and knew we now had no choice but to ditch the car, and fast.

"Stop shooting my stolen car?" He asked me and I shrugged as I took an exit and turned down the street toward the Muckleshoot Reservation. I laughed as I drove down the road and pulled the car into a Starbucks and let out a long, shaky breath, rolling my eyes I looked over at Loki and grinned at him.

"At least I didn't essentially call the redhead a cunt." I said and laughed exiting the car quickly as adrenaline surged and made my legs shaky and rubber like. Loki carried my bag and made it a point to look at the back of the car as he put an arm around me to support me as we walked away from the parking lot quickly, avoiding the street as much as possible to not be seen.

About a block from the car, I broke away from him and threw up in the bushes while shaking from the adrenaline dump. He opened the bag and handed me one of the Red Bulls, I opened it quickly and used it to rinse out my mouth, spitting the nasty, warm liquid out as I braced myself against a lamp post in the parking lot we stood in.

"Better?" He asked, holding my elbow and I nodded, he looked at me concerned and I straightened up and slammed the Red Bull, tossing the can over my shoulder. We started walking again, putting distance between us and the car.

"I sometimes throw up after high stress situations, it is nothing, you should have seen me after the night I got shot at." I explained as we walked, I needed to rest again for a while and I looked for something relatively safe.

"Let us not repeat that." Loki said and we kept moving, turning to see a familiar SUV blow past us as we ducked behind another building before we were seen.

"Shit." I said, and looked up at Loki as I leaned against the wall of the building. "These guys are relentless, we need to get the hell out of here before Big Red pulls a baby momma and tries to throw down." I said and grabbed his hand quickly before jumping to Seattle.

We both reappeared in an alley near Poineer Square and I braced my hands against a red, brick wall as my head spun making a note to myself about adrenaline crashes and my abilities. I took a few long breaths, and felt Loki put an arm around my waist to support me as we both walked out onto a crowded street and blended in with the people.

"That was not wise Little Mouse." Loki said, and he pulled me along and I put a hand on his chest as the world spun.

"I improvised, it was the best I could do on short notice, just be glad you are breathing through your nose and not through a hole in your chest." I said as we turned toward the bus lines, and boarded the first one we could get toward Seattle Center. I rested my head on Loki's shoulder and closed my eyes as the bus turned toward the Space Needle.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

We got off the bus at Seattle Center and walked quickly into the open park as Rush Hour slowly started around us and people started leaving work for the day. We found a bench to rest on in the shadow of the Space Needle, and I collapsed at it as my hands stopped shaking bit by bit. Loki opened the bag and pulled out the last Red Bull and offered it to me without a word, I nodded and sighed as he cupped the drink in his hands and chilled it using his gifts. He opened the can and handed it to me as I took a long drink and handed it back to him. He took a drink of it and grimaced at the taste, handing it back to me as I sat back on the bench and let my head hang back. I stared at the sky above me, the thick layer of gray clouds above blocking out the sun and started wishing for the perpetually blue skies of Asgard. I could not believe that I was actually homesick for Asgard, and I leaned forward and buried my face in my hands.

"What do we do now? Seriously, I am looking for ideas here." I asked him and he sighed as we watched couples take pictures in front of the Needle, oblivious to the world around them.

"I am actually lost myself." Loki replied as I got a sinking feeling in my stomach, SHIELD was aware of him, that was bad enough, but what did they know about me? I rubbed my hand over my sand filled eyes and felt frustration creep into my brain and kick its shoes off to get comfortable as I wanted to scream and throw something, how I managed to keep myself together I don't know.

"Want to just sit here for a while?" I asked him and took another drink from the can and passed it back to him. I put the hood of my sweater up, and slipped the sunglasses out of my pocket and put them on. Trying to hide behind the dark lenses, and hoping my calm did not crumble around me.

"They will find us." He said and I nodded as he drank the last of the energy drink and set the can next to him on the bench. "They will imprison the both of us when they do."

"Your brother's friends are real dicks." I said and he snorted derisively.

"He really is not my brother."

"They are still dicks," I replied. "What do we do now?"

I pulled my feet up into the bench and wrapped my arms around my knees as we sat on the bench together and Loki sighed. He looked at me sadly, and I knew I was not going to like what he said next.

"We surrender." He said and I looked at him incredulously. "Like you said, you are a hostage."

"No!" I said back sharply and he winced as if I slapped him, a couple jumped and stared at us. My sudden outburst startled them as they walked past, and picked up their pace as I glared at Loki.

"Are you completely fucking nuts? Think for five seconds about it, they kill you and I end up their weapon in a box until the end of time. These idiots will pull me out every time someone breathes wrong, do you think I really want that? To just be another nuclear warhead, a pawn in another man's chess game?" I said and stared at him and stood up and paced.

"It would be better than you being dead." He replied and I looked at him and sighed.

"What about you?" I asked him and looked down, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

"You are not hearing reason Little Mouse." He said and I crossed my arms and tried not to scream.

"Not hearing reason? Excuse me, but what are you doing? Did you think about me at all? What am I supposed to do without you?" I hissed at him and nearly slapped him as he blinked up at me shocked. "I am not going to let you throw yourself and me away, and I am sure as hell not going to let you sit there and be idle while you indulge your personal L'appel de Vide and walk away from you. I am not everyone else that has come and gone from your life, and there is still fucking hope while you breathe you idiot. I need you, and you need me!"

I grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the bench as Loki looked at me, a mixture of shock and sadness crossing his face as I began walking, angry tears threatening to burst. I stomped on, fighting everything inside me. I nearly dislocated my arm when he stopped and I turned on him angrily.

"I am not everyone else, and I am no giving up!" I yelled at Loki and he stood looking at me dumbfounded.

"Lilly." He said and I stopped before I could cock back for a slap, and he pulled me back toward him. Hugging me as I buried my face into his chest and struggled a bit as he refused to let me go.

"You big jerk." I said and ineffectively hit his arm with a closed fist. "Don't give up, we still have a chance. Just let me think of something.

"I'm sorry." He said, and let me go regarding me as I stood there.

"You are just bummed we didn't steal Stark's car." I said and he chuckled a bit.

"A little bit." Loki said and I looked down at the ground. "I think I will survive my disappointment however. I am just worried about you, I do not want you to get hurt."

"Stop." I said and put up a hand. "The one thing right now that would hurt me the most, would be just giving up. Throwing in the towel is so not an option right now. There is still a chance that we can get out of this mess relatively alive, maybe Thor can bail us out if we get caught."

"If we have to, we will surrender." He said, and I nodded my agreement to him.

"Make them work for it though." I said and laughed as I got an idea, and looked up at Loki and smiled. He raised his eyebrows at me in question and I grinned wider.

"How would you like to scare the shit out of my Ex?" I asked him and he looked at me, a wicked grin crossing his face.

"Tell me, can I hurt him a bit?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"No, but you can threaten him, and really be scary." I said and he looked somewhat disappointed.

"It will still be fun. I promise, we are going to take his car though." I said and started leading Loki toward the other side of the park, passing the science museum as we headed for a different bus line.

"We should work on your definition of fun." He said and I grinned back at him shaking my head and feeling a bit nervous to be bringing Loki around Michael, and hoped he would not judge me for what I once dated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We rode two different buses to the University District where I once lived with Michael in one of the shittiest apartment buildings known to man. As we climbed the five flights of stairs, Loki looked at the cracking plaster and cringed at the distinct smell of urine and booze in the halls. I wanted to thank the idiot college students for this embarrassment and wanted to abort the current mission. Instead I stayed focused ahead and moved along the dim hall. I shuddered, thinking about how I once could stand living here and tried not to make eye contact with him as I walked, feeling ashamed at my past.

I was also not looking forward to seeing Michael again and tried to play off my nerves, I really hoped Loki didn't get into it with the asshole either. We stopped in front of the door to the shitty apartment, and I took in a deep breath and straightened my jeans, and pulled my shirt down, further stalling by zipping up my hoodie and arranging my shemaugh.

"Nervous?" Loki asked me as I raised my hand to knock, and he gave me a sheepish grin.

"Understatement of the century." I grumped and moved to knock again.

"What exactly is the plan?" He asked and I sighed at the interruption and turned to face him, a woman left her unit and shuffled down the stairs we had just come up and I waited for the coast to be clear.

"I am going to knock, and politely ask Michael is I can borrow his Jeep Cherokee. After that, we will head East and hope for the best. So if you have anything to add, please do so now." I said, Loki tilted his head at me slightly suspicious and I sighed.

"He beat you."

"Yes. Thank you for pointing that out Captain Obvious." I said as I moved to knock again, but Loki stopped me before I could complete the action.

"Can I hurt him?" He asked and grinned, I shuddered at the smile and produced the illusion of a Desert Eagle I had made. He looked at the virtual hand cannon and watched me tuck it down the back of my pants.

"I think, that will do enough mental damage, but if it doesn't work, knock yourself out...not literally, figure of speech." I said and knocked on the door, surprised to see it open by itself swinging free on the hinge inward. Never a good sign when you did what Michael and I did for a living, scared was the understatement of the century.

Cautiously, I poked my head around the door, pushing it carefully with my finger tips and slowly edged into the apartment. I glanced down at the busted jamb and back at Loki. He frowned at me and I pointed at the doorway.

"The door has been kicked recently." I said and Loki nodded. I walked into the main living area, and saw a scene that was total chaos. The coffee table was overturned, and two chairs were busted into kindling. Michael's precious television and X Box were in pieces all over the floor. I looked into the kitchen and swallowed hard, checking blind spots as I walked.

"There also appears to have been a struggle." Loki said behind me and I heard a whimper from the bedroom, we both turned and looked down the hall. Loki pulled a knife, and I waved him back as I took careful, silent steps down the hall. Holding my hand behind me, I crouched down to pick up Michael's car keys off the floor where I found them dropped and started backing toward the door when another whimper came from the bedroom followed by the sound of something heavy shifting. My heart pounded in my chest and I wanted out of that building and fast.

I glanced over my shoulder at Loki and put my finger up to my lips to motion for him to be quiet, and he backed toward the door and I took a cautious step back. I stepped back and put my hand on the wall when the door opened suddenly, slamming it off the wall behind it and I was greeted by David's head goon.

"Raven." The tall slab of muscle said and David's head popped around the man as my stomach fell into my feet.

"Get the bitch." David said, and I screamed.

"Run!" I shouted and turned to move but I was too slow.

Loki moved fast, but the goon was faster and he had his arm around my neck tightly, a Glock was pressed against my head and digging into my scalp as I struggled to breathe. How I managed to hold onto the key, I still don't know. My windpipe was crushed, and the goon shoved the gun tighter into my scalp. It drug along my hairline making me cry out in pain. Loki growled at the man and I put my hands up to stop him from coming forward before my brains ended up all over the wall behind me, I struggled a bit but the gun dug harder into my scalp and I went very still.

"Drop the knife. We have nothing to do with you." David said as I struggled against the goon trying to get air.

"Bullets come out of the gun asshole, stop trying to shove the barrel into my brain." I choked out, and David slapped me hard across the face.

"That was unwise." Loki said and I tried to clear the stars out of my vision as I started to dangle with my feet off the floor a bit thanks to the albino gorilla.

"You have last chance to leave, we need to have meeting with my girl here. You claim the rest of her at the morgue. My associate will give you address." David said and the goon pointed the gun at Loki and I gasped for air as David grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me into the bedroom.

"Let her go, and I will consider letting you live." Loki hissed and I screamed as I saw what was left of Michael on the floor of the bedroom. Whatever it was may have been human at one time, but what is was now was a horrifying pile of flesh and disjointed bones. They had beaten him to a bloody pulp and I fought back the urge to retch as I looked it him in horror. David threw me back against the bed and I kicked at him as he snapped a pair of handcuffs around my wrists and behind my back.

"David…." I breathed out "Please don't…..you don't have to do this." I pushed back against the wall and he looked at me with a predatory grin. "Just let us go, and no one will get hurt."

I heard a struggle in the hallway and stopped and David listened for a few moments, and I tried to twist my arms around so I could fight him and screamed again when another hand connected with my face. He climbed onto the bed toward me and I went ballistic, I thrashed about and screamed for help. I kicked back, and he fell back a bit but wrapped a hand around my ankle and pulled me back, I kicked at him again with my free foot and he slapped it away with his hand.

A gunshot ripped through the apartment, and I stopped in shock to stare at the door of the bedroom and there was no other sound. My heart hammered in my chest, and I looked at the door as everything in my body went numb and I fought back the urge to cry.

"Loki!" I screamed and David hooked his meaty hand into my belt and pulled me back toward him. I was flipped over onto my stomach and a hand was across my forehead as his other hand unbuckled my belt, and I screamed and thrashed as much as I could, fighting as panic gripped me. Not a cohesive thought filled my head as his hand slipped down the front of my pants and I screamed, primal and raw.

"You may like it Raven." David said into my ear, and I screamed again and I jumped reappearing across the room from David, leaving the handcuffs on the bed under him. I dove for the doorway, but he was faster. He had an arm around my waist and I whimpered again as he turned me to see Michael's remains in a grim reminder of how I was about to end up. His arm coming up around my neck as I tried to scream, cutting off the sound and causing my vision to go gray. I put my hands up on his arm and pulled it away from my windpipe, and the arm moved enough to let me get air.

"Stop this David, you don't know what you are messing with." I warned and he laughed.

"I knew you were freak." He said into my ear and put his hand down the front of my pants again, his arm around my neck tightened and I started fighting more. Suddenly, the arm and hand were gone. I fell to the ground in a disjointed heap that gasped for air as I moved away from him. Rolling in time to see David holding his throat, and blood pouring down his shirt. Loki pulled the knife out of the dying man's throat and he looked down at me as I scooted backwards and across the room until my back hit the wall.

I shook and he crouched down next to the dying Russian, and looked at him calmly. Studying the man as the last light left his eyes. Loki then turned toward me and I shook, my back pressing into the wall. I started to cry involuntarily as he moved cat like toward me. His hand came up to my face, and his eyes softened.

"Don't look at it. He should never have touched you like that, do not pity him and never mourn him" He said, turning my head gently and I froze shaking against the wall, his hand went down to my pants and buttoned them and I snapped and reached out, slapping at his hands.

"No!" Was the only word I could form as I started rocking back and forth on my butt in the quiet room. I fell apart and put myself back together again, only to fall to pieces again in my head.

"Lilliana." Loki said sharply, snapping me out of my fear induced trance, I jerked my head toward him and he pulled the Jeep key out of his pocket.

"I thought they shot you." I said and wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed. He let me have time to pull myself together one last time, and I stayed together and I shook for several minutes before I could finally calm down. His arms around me with his hands resting on my back.

"No," He said, shaking his head and pushed me back. "Did he?"

"No." I shook my head, cutting him off and shuddered, remembering the hand and tried not to sob again. Somehow managing to pull myself together, he may not have done anything to me, but I still felt violated.

"We need to go. Someone will have called the cops." I said and Loki lifted me up and carried me out of the apartment and down the hall toward the stairs.

I had to shut down parts of myself in order to get through the next through moments, the option of collapsing and turning into jelly in that hall was not valid at this point. Loki set me down in the stairwell and I buckled my belt and tried not to let how bad my hands were shaking show as I worked. He watched me concerned and did everything to not turn into an unholy rage monster right there.

I pushed the crash bar on the stairwell to the parking garage and located Michael's red Jeep in the underground garage, quickly unlocking it with the key fob in my hand. Loki got in on the passenger side and stopped me as I started shaking again. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in close, as I broke down. I sat and shook, but no tears came at this point and I let myself fall back into place slowly.

"Are you going to be well?" Loki asked me and I nodded yes into his chest, but my entire body betrayed my lie.

"Yeah….no…..I don't know." I said and looked at him. "I will make a good effort to be though, does that count?"

"I believe it does after a fashion." He said and let me go to sit back up and catch my breath, I started the Jeep up and backed the vehicle up carefully. I put the beast into gear and ascended the ramp, waiting for the roll down entry door to rise patiently. I depressed the clutch and threw the Jeep into gear, releasing the clutch and began to accelerate into the alley behind the apartment building when I hit Fandral.

I may or may not have felt guilt for about five seconds.

"Was that…." Loki started, and I slammed on the brakes as a hand came up and braced itself on the hood of the Jeep. Slowly a dazed, curly mop of blonde hair appeared over the edge of the hood, and pulled the rest of the being attached to it up. Fandral stared through the windshield at me in disbelief. He shouted and laughed, pointing at me and making sounds and words that may have formed an actual sentence in his excitement.

"It is, and he is alive. Whether or not he is O.K is another matter." I said in relief as Thor shouted at the two of us and Sif came running around the building at us, Volstagg followed the group and I looked back at Fandral who was recovering slowly.

"Accelerate again," Loki said. "That was amusing."

I gave him a look that told him to behave and he grinned at me and shrugged. I turned off the car and opened the door to the Jeep and stepped down to the paved alley as Loki sighed, annoyed at their being present.

"You were right Thor, we did find the two of them in this city." Fandral said and nearly fell over, having to brace himself on the hood of the Jeep. He reached out to hug me happily and I took a step back, he hit the ground like a ton of bricks. Groaning as he collected himself. Through the windshield, I could see the Norse God of being a Jerk laughing to himself as I blinked at everyone in surprise. Sif grabbed my shoulders as Thor opened the passenger side door and yanked Loki out of the vehicle like a rag doll by his coat, throwing him back against the fender.

"Are you injured?" Sif asked me in a panic, and Loki put his hands up to stop Thor from pummeling him into a tenderized steak.

"I should be well Lady Sif, I have endured worse attacks. Please see to the Lady Lilliana." Fandral said, sitting up and she rolled her eyes, turning her head to glare at Loki.

"I'm fine." I said as Volstagg wrapped me up into a bear hug, and I swore a bit as I felt my ribs and spine rearrange themselves and trade places permanently.

"Need to breathe," I said and I felt my feet plant themselves back on the ground. "Can everyone chill out for five freaking seconds!"

"As you can see, she is well, and she is the one who brought me with her here." Everyone turned and glared at Loki who had relaxed back against the fender and was resting his elbows on the hood of the Jeep as he regarded everyone with disinterest.

"The Allfather is worried about you, Heimdal cannot see you, and we feared the worst Lady." Thor said as he crossed his arms and looked from me to Loki.

"I am concealing her, you asked me to do it. She is being hunted, and the being hunting her can sense her no matter where she is in the galaxy, so I hid her from everyone." Loki replied coolly and turned to wink at me.

"I panicked." I said and everyone looked back at me. "We got cornered, so I decided to make a jump here and it exhausted me. We had to lay low until I was stronger, we stole a couple cars, got shot at, and then you guys found us. I'm still breathing, my brain is not scrambled eggs, and Loki kept his word. Stop treating him like he is the worst being in all of creation."

So sue me, I left a couple details out, but I did not feel like throwing Loki in to the fire from the frying pan.

Sif's face went pale and she grabbed my shoulders and leaned me back against the Jeep, studying me from head to toe. She turned me and looked again, lifting my shirt, unzipping my hoodie, and probably would have stripped me there if I hadn't stopped her immediately by pulling my shirt back down in surprised embarrassment.

"You were shot at?" Thor said, I shrugged nervously and grinned at him.

"Yeah, but it was pretty cool." I said and Fandral groaned again. "Stop hamming it up you big baby, I was not going that fast."

"What of 'im?" Volstagg said, pointing at Loki and I rolled my eyes along with Loki.

"Why is your cheek bruised?" Thor asked, and I tried to turn my face as everyone looked at me and then back at Loki.

"Why do you have a flower drawn on your skin near your naval?" Fandral asked and everyone looked down at my waistband, I groaned and threw my arms up into the air. I zipped my hoodie back up quickly and looked down at the ground as Loki smirked at everyone. I paced for a second before I took in a deep breath before I lost my mind and let it out slowly.

"Can we all just keep up with the conversation for five seconds? Question one: Loki protected me for three days and put up with me, so we are pretty cool. Question two: a guy tried to rape me, and Loki stopped him, I got a bit roughed up in the process. Question three: It is called a Tattoo! I have had it for two years, and would really like it if everyone stopped freaking out about it. Any other stupid questions?" I said and crossed my arms and frowned at a realization I had now that the cognitive dissonance in my head began to settle.

"You guys are here, and Loki is hiding me. How did you find us?" I asked and Thor looked down at the ground.

"We guessed, and it turned out that my assumption was correct." Thor said proudly and I looked at Loki.

"Can whoever is hunting me see everyone else? Could he have followed them here?" I asked and Loki looked at me concerned and I started moving around the side of the Jeep toward the drivers side.

"What do you mean?" Thor said and looked troubled.

"You lead them here Thor, you idiot!" I said and pointed at the jeep. "Everyone in the car. The cops will be arriving soon, and there are a few bodies upstairs!"

Everyone piled into the Jeep and Volstagg ran for the hatchback as I started the engine and slammed the vehicle into gear. I waited for traffic to clear, and I began merging onto the street and started shaking as I drove.

"Do you want for me to drive, you seem a bit distraught and have been through much." Loki suggested and four voices from the back gave a unanimous "No". I slammed on the brakes to not blow through a red light, turning in my seat to give them a face that told everyone in the vehicle I was in no mood to put up with anything.

"Do not make me come back there." I said and everyone turned to look out their respective windows as I turned and looked at Loki, accelerating along the Seattle streets.

"We need to get to Bellevue, we are going to need Thor's friends. The Kree could be here any minute, and we are going to have a huge problem on our hands when they arrive. Thanks to the blonde in the back, we don't know how much time we have." I said and stopped for another red light.

"I agree Little Mouse, we may not have much left but his friends, as you call them, still hold a bit of ire toward me." Loki said and I turned left, following the signs for I-5.

"I know that Loki, but we need to warn them. Thor can maybe be a character reference or something for you." I said.

"Are we not going ta discuss the fact tha' Lady Lilliana said tha' we are in a dead man's vehicle?" Volstagg said and my shoulders tightened as everyone looked at Loki, I groaned again and slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a stopped car at a red light. Fandral jerked forward and hit my seat and slammed back into his with the sudden motion, groaning in pain as he recovered.

"Mom and Dad are talking, you guys are playing an awesome game known as the 'Quiet Game'. Now look out your windows and count Blue Cars or something. Fandral, put your damn seat belt on before you shove me into the steering wheel." I said as I turned down over the freeway overpass and into the left turn lane and stopped again at the red light and tapped my hand on the steering wheel impatiently.

"Where are we going?" Fandral asked and I turned in my seat and faced them all.

"You really don't understand the 'Quiet Game' do you?" I asked them and he looked at me a bit afraid, a person behind us honked as the light turned green and I growled. Loki put his hand on my leg and calmed me as I settled back into my seat and put my foot down on the accelerator and merged onto the freeway at the Montlake bridge and tried not to scream.

"What do you know about this guy!" I shouted at Loki, and he blinked at me. "I want to know everything and now, what is he and why does he want me. And don't you fucking lie, it is my life you are playing with here!"

He sat back against the door and looked at me, Thor had to hide a chuckle as Loki jerked back from me. He looked at me and I glared at him.

"He is the other half of the soul that created you, he wishes to kill you and take back your half. By doing so, creating a powerful being that cannot be stopped. Right now the two of you are linked by those halves and he is stronger than you thought." He said and I groaned as I let out a breath and glared at him angrily. My hand shot out and I slapped him across the face. He glared at me angrily, but still looked shocked. Thor hid a chuckle behind his hand, and I slammed my hands onto the steering wheel.

"You knew about this and did not tell me? You lied by omission and now they are coming here! Do you realize that people are going to die because someone wants me, and I may not be able to stop him? Why the hell do you think I have trust issues of my own? When all this is over, I am finding a deep, dark fucking cave on a distant planet and am crawling into it before something else awful happens because of me!" I screamed out and merged the Jeep onto I-90 toward Bellevue and looked at him and screamed again, completely loosing my mind and feeling everything in me fracture and fall to pieces.

I slammed on the brakes again, and took in long breaths as I stared forward and looked at the traffic that stretched into the tunnel before releasing the steering wheel one finger at a time. I continued to breathe and try to calm myself down, but nothing was working. A hand from the back seat rested on my shoulder and I looked in the rear view mirror to see who put their hand on me and saw a familiar ship breaking the atmosphere. I turned in my seat, and looked out the rear window, and opened my door and stepped out onto the freeway as everyone in the vehicles around me looked out of their cars with me. Loki shouted at me to get back into the car from very far away, and my eyes closed and I swallowed hard as the vehicle of Asgardians looked with me.

The ship hovered over the city, and I knew what was coming, my heart beat heavily in my chest and I tried desperately not to scream at the impossible ship as it hovered over the city. I got back into the Jeep and closed the door, resting my hands on the steering wheel and I looked over at Loki.

"On any other day, that would just seem weird." I said as everyone in the car looked at me. I ducked as a smaller ship passed over us, somewhat aware in my fugue state, and a thousand miles away it shot the entrance to the I-90 tunnel and brought the plants and dirt over the tunnel crashing down onto the freeway below it. I screamed and pulled myself out of my trance, throwing the Jeep into reverse and hitting a Prius behind me and ran the car over to the shoulder. Flooring the accelerator and kicking up road debris as I sped off the ramp and toward downtown.

The car was protesting loudly. The engine being pushed too far as I skidded around others, I used a pulse of energy to move a bus as I went through red lights. Skidding around a curve and punching through another red light as I fought with the Jeep.

"What are you doing?" Loki said as I drove up over the sidewalk and the wrong way on 5th Ave.

"I have a plan!" I shouted as Thor watched the sky over us out his window. I blew through another intersection, swerving around panicked people and made a left that almost tipped the Jeep and slammed on the brakes outside Columbia Tower.

I ran from the Jeep, leaving everyone behind as two fighter jets screamed across the sky. Missiles shot out and a ship exploded above me, raining parts of a ship down onto us. I ran hard toward the lobby of Seattle's tallest building. Down the street, a drop ship deposited Kree soldiers into the street, and they immediately began firing on the people as they ran in fear. None of them asked for what had come and was running for their lives, seeking shelter from the monsters that had come to kill them to get to me, and I was tired of running and hiding from a fate that would catch up with me eventually.

I ran into the lobby and slammed my hand onto the up button for the elevator and a set of hands turned me roughly, pinning me back against the cold elevator doors.

"I need to get to the roof." I said to Loki as he looked at me, and I gasped in a breath of air. The doors to the elevator opened behind my back, and I stepped back into the steel coffin and he looked at me. I could see him struggling to remain calm as Thor and his group joined me in the box.

"I have to fix this. And I need to be higher up." The windows behind Loki blew out and I screamed and ducked from the flying glass as he stepped into the elevator and I pushed the button for the top floor. I clenched my fists and watched as the doors closed and I felt the first waves of panic grip me as sweat trickled down my spine. I managed somehow not to throw myself at the door, clawing and screaming at them, impressing myself as I thought over and over in my head about the plan I had like a mantra.

I breathed in and out as we ascended, and I felt Loki glare at me but I ignored him as I stood in the elevator. He could glare all he wanted to, I had a few more words for him about lying to me.

"What is your plan?" Thor asked as Mjolnir hung casually from his wrist and I smiled at my own reflection in the elevator doors.

"I am going to overload the engines of the ship and blow it up using a controlled burst of Electromagnetic Energy." I said and everyone looked at me concerned, Sif put her hand on my shoulder and I stared straight ahead ignoring her.

"That does not seem like a very wise plan." Sif said and I turned and looked at everyone.

"I have to agree with that," Loki said.

"You could be killed." Thor said and I crossed my arms and laughed sardonically.

"I said I had a plan, I never said anything about it being a good plan in any way shape or from. So, if anyone has any good or better ideas, now is the time." I said as the elevator doors opened on the top floor, and I whirled away from them before anyone could say anything and bolted for the stairs.

I heard everyone behind me running to keep up as I ran up the stairs toward the roof access and used a pulse of energy to knock the door open and burst through onto the gravel rooftop, I then found the stairs to the Helipad on the roof of the building and ran up them two at a time. More fighter jets screamed over us and a red and gold suited man shot across the sky over us as we stood there looking up at the ship. I prepared to jump when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist and pull me back and I nearly fell off balance as I prepared again to jump.

"No! You are taking too much of a risk doing this!" Loki shouted over the noise, and I concentrated on the bridge of the ship. "I will not let you do this."

I then focused my energy and let myself go, jumping toward the ship. Before I left him I managed to say one thing in case it was a one way trip.

"Goodbye."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I reappeared in the darkened corridors of the ship and pressed myself against the wall behind me to give myself a moment to let my eyes adjust to the dim light. I flattened myself against a wall and squeezed behind some conduits as a Kree walked by. I held my breath as my heart hammered in my chest as he passed me, oblivious to my presence. I slipped out of my hiding spot and followed him as quietly as I could and watched as he turned into a room with several cylindrical objects built into the floor of the ship that stretched high above.

I watched him for any signs he had seen me, and pulled the rapid Release knife from my boot. Ficking it open with a twitch of my wrist and moved quickly behind him pressing the blade against his neck.

"Engine controls motherfucker." I hissed out and he tensed. "Where are they?"

He grabbed my arm and swung around on me, pushing me back and causing the knife to go clattering off somewhere in the darkness. I put my shoulder into his stomach and grabbed behind his knee as I used my inertia to throw him to the ground in a crash. The Kree grunted, but recovered and I wasted no time searching the darkness for my knife. He grabbed my hoodie, swinging me around and slamming me into a wall. Stars filled my vision, but I managed to shake the attack off quickly and used a bladed hand to catch him hard in the nerve bundle below his ear.

Usually, a hit like that would drop a full grown man, but this guy staggered back a bit and shook it off as if it were just a mosquito bite. He rushed up on me, and I ducked between his legs quickly, missing his groin by millimeters with my head and scrambled across the floor when my hand landed on the knife. I closed my fist around it, and swung at him with a wide arc, and he feinted away from me so I followed with a stabbing motion as he dodged to the side.

The knife blade sunk into one of the cylinders, and he looked at me wide eyed and then back at the cylinders. His body language gave away the answer to my question and I pulled at the stuck knife as I let the energy start building in my chest but he grabbed a fistful of the front of my hoodie and lifted me off my feet. I was eye level with him and he smiled triumphantly as his other hand turned my jaw and looked at the birthmark on my neck.

"The weapon has come to us." The Kree said and I went completely limp as the energy built up stronger in my body, the hairs on my arms began to raise up with the power.

I slipped out of my sweater by raising my arms above my head, and scrambled between his legs again as he looked at the empty garment dumbly. I jumped off the floor, my feet kicking and launched myself toward one of the cylinders and wrapped my arms and legs around it like midget Velcro. The Kree advanced on me, and I opened my eyes and saw his confusion as he approached to pull me off the control. I smiled at him and let the pulse of energy surge into the ship and along delicate conductive filaments toward the engine, and felt it overload with everything I gave it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki felt her leave and he stared blankly at his now empty arms, her last word echoing through his mind as his eyes focused on the black ship hovering in the distance. He wanted to scream in rage at her for her sudden defiance but he would not do it now. She would return, she was stubborn and willful, but she was a survivor.

She would return. She had to.

Thor gripped Mjollnir, and everyone looked at him as he stood up and minutes ticked away, becoming eons as they stood on the building and watched the ship. Sif looked at Loki and he let his facial expressions betray nothing of himself, but inwardly he was falling apart and each second became an eternity.

With no warning, the ship rocked and a large light appeared at each end, spreading through out the hull, working and gaining speed toward the inner core, the initial shock wave from the explosion rocked the building and made it shudder as it spread and grew.

"She did it, she blew up the ship!" Sif shouted and they turned toward each other as the ship began blowing apart in the distance, and the seconds ticked on. Each heartbeat a drum in Loki's ears as she failed to appear again.

"Goodbye."

Her words continued to echo, and the entire building suddenly rocked as the center of the ship became a fireball and the shock wave from the explosion ripped through the city blowing out windows and echoing off the buildings, eventually traveling down to the streets. They waited, and she still did not appear in front of them. Loki sank to his knees slowly and looked at the falling wreckage as it fell into the water of the ocean, finally sinking below the waves. The group on the roof watched silently and a tear fell from Sif's eye as the last of the hull vanished from sight.

"Lady Lilliana." Fandral said and they all stood quietly. Loki turned quickly, and Thor caught his arm before he could move further.

"She is gone, we will mourn her. Let us finish this battle in her honor." Thor said and Volstagg smiled as he ran through the empty doorway, followed by Sif. Thor stepped back from Loki as Fandral drew his sword and joined the chase.

"For Lilliana." Loki said as he and Thor ran toward the doorway, and he paused as he looked at the calm water of the ocean she called Puget Sound a last time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Presence stood on the hard asphalt street and watched as the chaos unfolded around him, suddenly above his head, the ship exploded and he smiled, knowing in his core the girl had done it. The Asgardians were correct on traveling to his planet, she was here and so very close.

But she was so powerful now, there had to be a way around that.

He reached out with his mind and found Loki, sensed his sorrows at losing the girl, concentrating and found her in the din of minds and voices that surrounded him. He stepped over a fallen lamp post, and let his mind stretch into the Earth itself, down to the center and smiled at what he discovered.

Such a fragile world, floating pieces of land and sea over a molten core, so easily disrupted and waiting to tear itself apart.

His mind formed a new strategy and he concentrated on the animal that kept her hidden, reveling in the sorrows and rage he felt at the loss of the girl. He would cut the being into pieces slowly, but for now he had to bring her to him, willingly.

A lamb coming to him for the slaughter.

He knew where she was and he stretched out his power to interrupt the Bifrost, to prevent her or the Asgardians from escaping into the safety of their home world.

Loki's mind seared with anger as the perceived loss of the girl and he felt the suicidal fury the bastard fought with. So much anger, but the girl still lived, it made The Presence smile at the overwhelming feeling that surged through him.

How much pleasure it would be now to force Loki to tear her apart, to betray such trust as she cried and begged him to stop.

He stepped down the street and vanished into a mist as the warriors fell out into the street, and began fighting his fallen army. He would bide his time, and claim what was his, he would rip the soul from her body and leave her in a coma if he had to.

The girl still lived, and she was so very close.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eric Williams bent over the seismograph monitoring all of the Pacific Boundary Plates, and hefted a new drum of paper into one labeled for Mt. St. Helens. Twenty eight years with the United Stated Geological Survey had taken its toll, he had a permanent paunch brought on by too much lab time and too little field work. His receding hairline was another victim of the stress caused by his job, and now he was thinking of an early retirement thanks to the lottery ticket in his back pocket. His back strained as he put his pen into his mouth and groaned as he worked, placing the drum of paper into place before adding ink to the stylus that would indicate and record any seismic activity.

He carefully calibrated the delicate instruments and glanced around at the rest of the seismographs as he readied to leave the room, one flash of detail came into his view as he went to close the door behind him and he turned, his mouth going dry and opening to drop the pen to the floor with a click that was impossibly loud in the room.

Shaking, he approached the seismograph marked "Cascadia Zone of Doom." And squinted at the machine, three weeks ago, the Subduction Zone had gone into a Slow Slip Event, and was currently one of the most watched plate boundaries in the world next to New Madrid. He looked at the seismograph and checked it to see if it had not malfunctioned and frowned as he carefully removed the drum he had just put in and replaced it with another. It never failed to try a reset of equipment if something had stopped working properly, and this was pretty much a geologists version on a soft reboot.

He restarted the machine, and frowned at it as he stepped back and went down his ass hitting the tiled floor hard as the pen he dropped rolled under his foot. He groaned as Terry walked into the room and laughed at him when she saw him, her brown curls bouncing as she shook her head.

"I heard a seismic event in here, I figured it was you Eric." She said and helped the man to his feet, and he groaned and stretched his back gingerly. Doing his best to not show his co worker he was injured badly.

"I'm fine, seismograph for Cascadia went down though. We need to get it back up, can you call Vancouver for me and see if they can send us their feed from the fault in the meantime?" He asked her and she nodded that she would, damn government cutbacks were killing funding for all the sciences, and now one of the more important pieces of equipment was broken during the most dangerous phase for one of the most dangerous plate boundaries in North America. A few years ago, the seismograph for the Yellowstone Super volcano started acting up. It caused a huge panic among his staff, leaving them all thinking the massive caldera under the park had ripped open and the end of the world was on them. Thankfully, it was just an equipment failure caused by a couple of humping buffalo, but it was still scary as hell.

"We really need that one working right now." She said and looked at the monitor with concern. "I'll call them right now, maybe you could use some of your duct tape genius to get it working again."

Terry left the room as Eric fished out a screwdriver from a tool kit and began taking apart the possibly malfunctioning seismograph, removing the cover on the side of the machine and looking in at the wires and connections that ran between the delicate circuits. He sighed and blew some dust out of his way, finding nothing wrong. Sitting back on his haunches, he looked up at the computer on the desk and plugged it into the port, running a diagnostic on the instrument and sat back rubbing his sore ass and back.

"Come on you piece of shit, we need you running." He said as he tapped away at the computer and looked at his screen, frowning as he saw a diagnostic pop up showing nothing wrong with the instrument itself and frowned deeper.

He ran a hand over his head, thinking of what part of the network could be malfunctioning, opening another window he checked the calibrations of the monitoring stations themselves finding all of them responding and rubbed his weary eyes.

He sent out a ping to each submerged monitor under the ocean and waited patiently, sitting back in his chair and waiting to see what would happen next. He waited and watched the screen as each monitor responded, and he cursed under his breath at the results that came back to him one at a time. Not one monitor was down, and the link between the hardware and the software was good.

"God damn shitty equipment!" He shouted and slammed his hand down on the table next to the computer. "Every time that bunch of idiots in Washington decide the budget needed trimming, this department is the first to feel the pinch."

Sadly, he thought this would continue until someone with half a brain took over and decided that the USGS was a valid science, but that would take some time and a blood sacrifice to the Gods before that happened. He heard Terry return and he did not glance up from the computer monitor as he watched the information in front of him, she made a sound in her throat and he still ignored her as he watched the feed continue showing everything as normal.

"Terry, you may have to get one of those tech geeks up here, I just push rocks and dirt, this shit is all beyond me." He said and threw his hands up above his head. "You get Vancouver to send us a feed of their monitoring station?"

He looked up at the woman, and she stood there silent and pale, it was a strange sight against her naturally olive complexion. She shook her head and he looked at her a bit longer, narrowing his eyes.

"Terry, what is it?"

"Vancouver says they are experiencing the same thing we are, the fault has gone completely silent." She said and Eric sat back nervously in his chair and tried not to scream.

"Have you tried California, Los Angeles my have something..." He said but her face stopped him and he looked at the drum as it rotated, not even a twitch of the needle.

"Los Angeles actually called Vancouver with the same issues minutes before I did, everyone is freaking out. Please Eric, tell me this it an interruption like Yellowstone. Just another equipment failure caused by whales or something."

"I wish I could, I really wish I could. This is one of my worst nightmares incarnate Terry, Cascadia is completely silent and it may be gearing up for a rupture on a massive scale." Eric told Terry, and she nervously looked around the room and back at him.

"Eric, I have family on the Oregon Coast. I need to tell them to leave before anything happens." She said and left the room.

Eric sat forward and began typing furiously, sending out a memo to anyone who would listen. Hoping that finally the government would take him seriously, and hoping that he would wake up in his bed in a few moments.

He hoped this was all just a bad dream.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

At the very last second, I jumped. Appearing again and hitting the ground hard with my ass just outside the Washington Athletic Club. I looked around at the chaos and mentally cursed myself for not making the landing this time. But I was at least still on the right planet and in the right state, so I had that going for me.

I groaned and stood up, looking at my now torn shirt as I limped down the street when I saw the redhead and a guy with a bow and arrow firing on a group of six Kree as they proceeded down 7th Avenue. I took in a breath and ducked as the brickwork facade exploded above my head and jumped across the street toward Union Square to avoid another shot. I ran through the open park and ducked around benches, concrete pounding under my boots as I ran toward the two, hoping to get to them and use them to help Thor and the rest.

"I survived assholes!" I screamed at the Kree. "I freaking love it when I do that!"

I built up a blast of energy and threw it out to help the two as they were a bit outnumbered, knocking three of the combatants down and the red head pointed her guns at me as a look of recognition crossed her face. I threw my hands up and she glared down at me, my knees feeling wobbly as I stared her down.

"Hands up and don't move!" She screamed at me and I waved my hands higher in the air scarcastically in case she didn't notice that I had already beat her on the draw. Behind her, another Kree aimed at her and was going to fire when I let go of a pulse and he flew back through a window before he could attack the woman.

"I'm cool Big Red, I need to get to Thor!" I yelled and Robin Hood turned and looked at me as he walked over to her.

"Nat, she just saved your life." He said but she kept her gun trained on me, as her eyes tracked me from head to toe. I tried to stay completely non threatening as I stood in the street in front of her and I groaned in frustation, I needed them and they needed me.

"Yeah Nat, listen to Robin Hood there, I need to get to Thor and Loki because they probably think I am dead. You know Thor? Blonde piece of muscle with a hammer?" I said, trying to reason with the woman and she squinted at me, she not fully trusting me after our earlier run in in the freeway.

"Oh come on, I have had a really shitty week! Can you just trust me for a few minutes and believe that I am not a bad guy or an alien?"

"How do you know Thor?" She asked me and I shrugged.

"I'm cool with the big lug. Straight outta Asgard with him and the rest of his merry band of warriors, now can I start running toward where I left them last before they really do something dumb because they think I am dead?" I shouted and Robin Hood gave me an odd look as I groaned.

"Natasha." She said as she lowered her gun as I walked forward with my hands still in the air.

"Lilliana," I said and extended one of my hands toward her, the other nice and visible over my head as I stepped forward carefully, trying not to trip over debris as I walked. In the distance, an explosion echoed off the buildings around us and I ducked on instinct alone.

"I just blew up the ship. Can I put my hands down now, my arms are getting tired." I finished and smiled. They both looked at me incredulously and I shrugged my shoulders and smiled wider.

"Yeah kid, put your hands down and come on, we can give you a ride to Thor." Robin Hood said and I followed them to a Black SUV, climbing into the drivers seat before anyone could argue with me.

"I know these streets, and the fastest way there. Thor and Loki are probably loosing their minds right now." I said as almost on queue a Mjolinr Propelled Blonde Cruise Missile flew past us, I pointed at him and looked back at Natasha. I slammed the engine in gear and gave pursuit, trying my best to stay on his tail but lost him as he banked at the last minute and I kept going straight.

"Clint," Robin Hood said as I drove. "What do you mean Loki is here, on Earth?"

I skidded the huge car around a corner near the Jail and blew through an intersection, swerving around a blockade of police cars. Bumping over the sidewalk and clipped the corner of a building with the rear of the monster vehicle as the tires protested, and the vehicle lurched.

"It's cool." I said and found Thor again flying between two buildings an intersection over. "Loki is a bit of an asshole, but her grows on you. His being here is a long story, can I tell you it later?"

Natasha looked at me and laughed a bit in shock as I turned again down another street where I saw some police fighting against the Kree, I shifted into a lower gear as I swerved around abandoned cars and up onto the sidewalk as a cop shot into a group of four combatants. Natasha braced herself on the dashboard as I floored the accelerator and slammed into two of the heavily armored warriors and they flew backwards into the street and lay very still.

"Good job. What is Loki doing here?" Clint demanded, and I skidded to a halt, inches from hitting Volstagg and nailing the aggressor he was struggling with causing him to fly into the air like a rag doll.

"Well, helping apparently." I said and got out of the vehicle and ducked as masonry exploded overhead somewhere.

"We thought ya was dead Lady!" He shouted and I laughed and threw my arms around his neck as he bear hugged me again, lifting me up off my feet in the middle of the battle. He set me back down on my feet and I gave him a crooked smile.

"Oh ye of little faith,"I said. "I always survive, it is a weird hobby of mine."

I cocked my thumb over my shoulder at Clint and Natasha and grinned at him proudly, he looked the both of them as they immediately joined in the battle. He pulled me to safety as a window fell from high above us and before the huge shards of glass could cut me in half. They shattered in the street loudly, and I jumped in fear as somewhere else another explosion rocked the buildings around us.

"I found help, they are Thor's friends! Which way did the Norse Guided Missile go? I have to find Loki!" I shouted, pulling Volstagg's attention from Natasha, who impressed him as she shot a Kree center mass, causing the soldier to fall lifelessly in the street.

"Dude, you may not be her type and I think she is with the other guy." I said as he winked at her and raised his battle ax to her in a salute. He smiled at me and looked back at her as he swung me around behind him, hitting a Kree with the weapon as he moved smoothly and dropping the man in a single strong swing.

"A man can admire a fellow warriors skill." He said and Thor flew past again with Iron Man in tow, the both of them landing in the street a block from me and taking on the army ahead of them.

"You are so admiring more than her skills!" I said accusingly as Thor swung his hammer into the ground and knocked even me off my feet, not expecting the shock wave that followed the strike. Volstagg caught me and I ran into the fray, a Kree fighter ship hovered above us as Sif ran into the street out of a building shouting about people being trapped with no escape. I gathered up some energy, releasing it in a pulse that pushed the vehicle into a building, causing it to explode on impact and rain debris down onto the street around us.

I shifted my gravity and ran up the side of the Seattle Library quickly as fiery debris fell where I was standing, and continued to run along the building. Shifting my gravity again to fall across the street and along the side of the building as a Kree shot at me from his position on the street. I sent out another pulse and knocked him into the ground as I ran. His shot going wild and shattering glass above us as I jumped and landed behind Thor using fire to drop another soldier only to jump again, reappearing and grabbing a piece of re-bar as I moved fast. Slamming the makeshift club into the middle of the back of a soldier before he could raise his weapon and fire it on Tony Stark. He turned on me and I jumped out of reach and shifted my center of gravity again, falling toward the building on the side of the street and looked down to see Thor make eye contact at me. His face a mask of shock and I stood on the side of the building, using a pulse to knock the Kree into the building across the street where he slammed into a Starbucks and crashed through the window.

"Well this ability is just cool." I said and jumped again to appear near Thor, a ball of fire in my hand and used it to drop the Kree as he emerged from the Starbucks dazed but attack ready.

"It is a felony to damage a Starbucks in Seattle!" I screamed as Sif turned and looked at me in shock, her mouth a perfect circle of surprise as she ran toward me.

"You are alive!" She screamed and Tony turned, his visor flipping up as he looked at me and the warrior woman grabbed me in a hug. Thor ran in and wrapped his arms around me from behind and I looked to Tony for help. But he smiled, amused at the Lilliana Sandwich with a side of Viking I had become.

"This just got super awkward." I said and patted a muscular arm after freeing one of mine. "Good to see you too Thor, but I am about to scream 'creepy touching.' Just a warning there."

They both released me and looked at me as Natasha and Clint ran down the street toward us, we ducked as she shot another soldier who had come around the corner of a building. He screamed and fell as I groaned and rearranged my spine again, leaning against the fender of another abandoned car. I rubbed my face with my hands, looking up at my friends and smiled crookedly.

"How?" Thor asked as he grabbed and pushed me behind him, toward Tony to swing at another Kree who was advancing, I ducked behind my Norse Shield as he fought. With the soldier, and threw the man back, slamming him into the hood of a car.

"Very long, very weird story!" I shouted and frowned as I looked around us. "Where is Loki?"

"There was a tall column made of wood with faces." He said and I smiled up at him.

"Was it near the water, or near a bunch of buildings, one building shaped like a triangle?" I asked and he turned toward me and put a hand on my stomach to keep me back from the fight and to guide me back behind him.

"The building shaped as a wedge, no water." He said and I let out a pulse toward a Kree who was advancing toward us.

"Wait, Reindeer Games is here? What the hell?" Tony said and I looked and shrugged up at him in his suit as he fired on another ship.

"Yeah, and he is in Poineer Square!" I said to Tony and turned to Thor.

"Is he in the brick paved park or on the street?" I asked Thor again, and he looked down at me and concentrated on the Park near the Totem Poles.

"I believe it was the park." Thor said and I jumped and shouted, knowing he was still alive. I stopped suddenly in worry that he may not be for much longer and looked at everyone in panic.

"Is anyone going to tell me what the hell that guy is doing here?" Tony asked and I turned.

"He is helping!" I screamed and Tony looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"Did you hit your head princess? Because that guy probably started all this!" He said and I groaned.

"Actually, Lady Lilliana is correct. He is helping." Thor said and he turned with me still behind him and I nearly tripped over a rock, having to reach around his stomach to brace myself before I went crashing to the pavement. I crossed my arms and gave Tony a sheepish grin as he looked at me in shock.

"I just woke up in the Twilight Zone." Tony said and I shrugged.

"Welcome to my world. Also, don't feel bad, I think I broke a City Ordinance by fucking up a Starbucks with a bad guy." I said and I heard Tony laugh.

"Loki believes you dead!" Sif shouted, and I jerked around to look at her, remembering my biggest reason for finding everyone. I cursed myself internally and thought of the fastest way to get to him.

"I have to get to him, but I am weakening fast!" I shouted and looked around. "It may also be bad for me to jump at this point, I could wind up in an even worse situation."

I looked at Tony and raised my eyebrow, and pointed down the street as he looked at me.

"Can I hitch a ride?" I asked him and he turned his back to me and cocked a thumb over his shoulder, and I jumped up onto his suit in a piggyback, and he took off down the street.

"I charge by the second for my taxi service, and you have so much explaining to do young lady." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"Left up ahead, and I will tell you all about it after I get a beer and a nap!" I shouted as we turned the corner and I held on tighter as I felt myself slip down his back a bit.

"Good thing you don't get motion sickness." He said and I pointed right and he banked around the corner of a building.

"Slow down! I am going to jump and copy myself!" I screamed and he slowed and I vanished from his back, making a double of myself and appeared behind Loki. He had his back to me as he struggled with a Kree in the shadow of the Totem, completely missing my sudden appearance. I started thinking of how to get his attention when I saw an advancing Kree out of the corner of my eye. I ducked back and rolled on the ground as I avoided getting hit with his weapon.

Another Kree lowered his weapon and shot my double, as another advanced. Above me, masonry exploded and I ran as fast as I could, diving down the stairs to the Underground Tour Gift Shop for shelter, a window exploding to my left as the Kree fired again. I rolled down the stairs and screamed in pain as I looked down at my leg to see a large sliver of glass in my thigh. I quickly ripped the shemaugh off of my neck as a blonde man with a sword charged down the stairs and looked directly at me in shock.

"We thought you dead!" Fandral shouted, and grabbed me in a hug as I groaned at the pain in my leg as he crushed me to him.

"I am getting that a lot today!" I shouted at him as the building above me shook, causing the people hiding in the store to cry out and pushed him off me and began pulling the glass shard out of my leg and rolled the shemaugh in a makeshift bandage to staunch the blood as I stood up and began heading back up the stairs, favoring the leg and feeling drained.

"Lady, you are wounded. It is not wise for you to go back." Fandral said and I turned and glared at him. "You risk yourself going back into the battle."

"I'm the damn Illendrial." I said and he looked at me. "I am the battle."

I limped up the stairs, and made a ball of fire in my hand and used it to burn a Kree as he started toward me, and I screamed as another tried to shoot me where I stood. My muscles started to ache with a deep, tired pain and I knew that I had to start being more careful or I would pass out.

"The weapon!" One shouted and gestured toward me as I turned and used a pulse of energy to knock him back, and I turned and used fire on another.

"You are damn right!" I shouted, and turned using more energy to knock another through the window of the toy store across the street. I groaned and shook my head as dizziness started taking over, and I could feel the blood running down my leg as the bandage came loose. I had to ignore it though, I had to stay upright and not get distracted.

I was about to use another pulse to knock another soldier back when a flash of green and gold lifted me up off my feet and ran with me, the next thing I knew I was sheltered in a doorway and Loki was looking at me from head to toe in total shock. His hands on my face as he studied me carefully, he looked like he was struggling for something to say and I looked back at him. His eyes searched mine again, and he pushed me back against the door and kissed me so deeply, I felt everything in me break loose as I became a part of him and never wanted to let go. I wrapped my arm around the back of his neck and pulled him closer and breathed heavily as my heart bounced off my rib cage, and never wanted to stop pounding for him.

He pulled back after an eternity, and I smiled at him and blushed, my head swimming with the contact.

"I thought you..." He said and I stopped him with my finger.

"Everyone has been saying that to me, can you not?" I asked him and let my finger trail down his chin as he pulled me back to him and I kissed him again, his hand reached down to my leg and he pushed back as he looked at the blood in his fingers from the wound on my leg.

"You are bleeding." He said and frowned as he knelt down to unwrap the makeshift bandage on my leg to check the wound. Another Kree rounded the corner and aimed at us, I used a pulse of energy to knock him back as Fandral found us and finished off what I started. He turned and looked a Loki kneeling in front of me, and then up at me in confusion.

"Bad news Magic Dance, I think I am going to live." I said and groaned as Loki re wrapped the leg tightly and stood back up, I turned to see Fandral walking toward us. Loki did not notice him and looked back at me and stared into my eyes.

"Don't ever do that to me again Little Mouse. I do not wish to mistakenly mourn you again." He scolded me and pulled me close to him as I laughed into his neck.

"I'm glad to see you too Magic Dance." I said as the battle wound down and Fandral still looked at the two of us, confused as Loki helped me out of the doorway. He wrapped an arm around my waist and I stumbled and nearly fell in exhaustion but he caught me and lifted me again as I took in a breath to clear away the dizziness.

"You Asgardians sure throw a wild party." I said as a Jet flew over us and circled for a moment before setting down in the street, I shivered a bit as cold began to set into me and I felt the arms tighten around me. The back of the jet opened and Clint and Thor exited it as I began to feel dizzy again from the exhaustion and I waved at the two of them as I rested my head against Loki's shoulder. I closed my eyes and started falling asleep involuntarily, but he jerked me into alertness as he set me down and pushed me behind him

"Get behind me." Loki said and I rolled my eyes and limped back around him.

"It's cool Loki, I drove them here. They know you are on their side right now." I said and limped forward, nearly falling as my bad leg decided to give up as I walked.

"Our car got crushed." Clint said and I laughed as Loki steadied me and my head spun as the ground shifted under me, he glared at Loki and I could feel the tension building between he two men.

"Yeah, meter maids in Seattle do not mess around. I think they eat their young too." I said and Clint gave me a quick smile. "Can we please hitch a ride, and I need a better bandage if you have one please."

"Can he behave himself?" He asked and jutted his chin out at Loki, I sighed as I nearly went over onto the sidewalk and he looked at me concerned.

"I'm too tired and too bleeding to make any promises at this point." I groaned out as Clint looked at my pants leg, soaked in blood that still oozed from the wound and he uncrossed his arms and gestured for Loki to bring me aboard. I could not figure out why it was not healing and I groaned at the pain that started radiating from the leg.

"Nice Tattoo." Clint said as Fandral cane running up and looked at the jet cautiously.

"Get on Fandral, before United Airlines decide they are overbooked and have to accommodate you elsewhere." I said and I nearly fell backwards as I groaned again, Clint ran forward and grabbed my other arm to further steady me and guided me onto the jet as the rotation of the planet became too much motion for me. They guided me onto the craft, and helped me move up the ramp before Clint closed it and looked at me again. I must have been a mess.

I collapsed into a jump seat as everyone took in my leg and Thor came forward to tear the hole in my jeans wider to inspect the wound. Natasha strapped me into the seat carefully using the harness, and I groaned in pain as Clint returned with a field medical kit and began working on my leg as my eyes closed. A sharp pain snapped my eyes open again as a second piece of glass was carefully extracted from my leg and I looked down at the four inch cut that immediately began healing under Clint's work, and shrugged back as he began wrapping my thigh in gauze.

"Fucking hell." I groaned and an arm came up around my shoulders as he tied off the bandage and dug in the med kit for something else. "I just bought these jeans today."

"We will get you a new pair, and a new shirt too." He said as he worked, and Thor hovered over him like a worried mother hen. The rest of the group watched him carefully. I was pretty sure if he did anything stupid, someone would rip him a new one.

"Next time Lady Lilliana." Thor said seriously to me and I looked up. "Kindly inform us of your plans before you act on them."

I gave him a thumbs up and a sheepish smile as something dug into my hip and pulled my phone out of my pocket and groaned as I looked down at the two halves of the once awesome device.

"Right now, my plans include a shower, then a long nap, followed by a funeral for my once great cell phone." I groaned and Clint looked up at me.

"We can get you a new one of those too." He said and Sif walked over and sat down on the other side of me as I leaned over onto Loki and felt sick to my stomach. I took in some deep breaths and refused to vomit in front of everyone.

"I can approve of your current plan." She said as I breathed in slowly, my stomach threatening to reject its contents all over the place. I dropped the phone into the bag Clint had put the torn bits of my clothing into and I sighed and saw Clint begin to load a syringe with something and I shot forward to stop him.

"I'm allergic to Opiates." I said and he looked up at me and dropped the syringe back into the kit and I leaned back. I looked down at him as everyone eyed Loki and I rested my head back against his arm, and I closed my eyes as we flew off to who knows where.

"Pain is only temporary anyways." I sighed and fell blissfully asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eric frowned more and chewed the now dead pen as he looked at the seismograph and tried desperately to will the damn thing to move. Every minute he sat in the room and waited was another minute he wished he had chosen a different career path. He shifted and looked down at his phone, debating if he should just take Terry's advice and start heading toward the Mid West with her.

He chose this job though, and he tried to keep the scream that edged into his brain at bay. Fault lines had never in the history of Geology gone completely silent like this one, this entire event was completely different and he wanted answers yesterday. He checked recorded geologic history for any thing that may have resembled this recent Seismic Event, but nothing came to light.

The White House was ignoring his memo, calling it alarmist and that he should just check or replace his equipment. He wanted to fly to Washington and smack the hell out of the current administration for not paying attention to what he said. Instead he sat and debated leaving the stated for a minimum safe distance of Montana.

"Move you son of a bitch." He said to the still needle, and willed it to move the tiniest of twitches, but it stayed painfully and terrifyingly still.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I rubbed a towel in my hair and sighed, feeling more human than I had before the shower. I looked at my thigh where the cut was in the mirror and found not even a scar from the glass and smiled at the sight, relieved that I was lucky to not have to live with that memory in my skin. I slipped on the pair of over sized sweatpants that Natasha gave me, and pulled the Hoodie over my head as I picked up the new phone that was a gift from Tony Stark to replace my old one. Another six hours, and I would have all my music back and in another ten minutes I would have all my pictures back from The Cloud. I left it plugged into the computer on the desk and laid it back on the table next to the machine as both of them worked, turning toward the king sized bed and rubbed my face, tired from everything that had happened over the last few hours.

Current events had me more than worried at the moment.

That creepy fucker with the black eyes was still out there somewhere, and Thor was struggling to get Heimdal to open the Bifrost to get us out of here. I did my best to not cry and instead I crawled up the side of the bed, hearing the borderline erotic siren song of sleep as I pulled the blanket from the edge over me as I rolled my body to the right, effectively turning myself into a human burrito.

I closed my eyes and buried my face into a pillow, so deep in my dozing, I didn't hear the door open and shut. My eyes snapped open as I felt the mattress behind me depress and I groaned at the disturbance. Fandral had been hovering around, and it was getting beyond annoying.

"If this is Fandral, you have five seconds to piss off. Like piss all the way off." I said and turned my head, wiggling my body around to come nose to nose with Loki.

"And if it is not?" He teased me and smiled.

"You can stay, but please let me sleep." I sighed and inched a hand out of my cocoon and touched his face gently. He put an arm around me and buried his nose in my hair, and I sighed as he pulled the warm bundle of me close to him and I smiled a bit, thankful that I was unable to escape the burrito.

"I cannot begin to say how I feel seeing you alive and here." He said and I traced his jaw with my fingertips and looked at him.

"I'm sorry, I had to do something or people would have died." I said and he smiled back at me and kissed my forehead above my eyebrow,

"Go to sleep, and don't dream." He said as he tightened his arm around me and I kissed his warm lips and he let me, my eyes closed as he rolled the bundle that was me over onto my back and put his arm around me and his mouth made me sigh as he trailed down my neck with his lips. I let out a soft sound, trying to free my arms from the blanket as the door opened suddenly, my eyes popping open to see Tony, Clint, and Thor standing in the doorway.

"Cock blocked by The Avengers." I groaned and let my head drop back against the pillow.

I turned bright red and hid in my burrito of blankets as the three men looked into the room in uncomfortable silence, Thor looking at Loki who had rested back on his arm and rolled his eyes at the group in the hall. My heart stopped hammering in my chest, and I tried to scoot down further into the blanket tortilla.

"Out!" Tony said to Loki, and I groaned and tried not to cry in embarrassment and exhaustion. "And for the record, you are never allowed to play 'Hide the Evil Salami' with her. You knock her up and I am so off the galaxy!"

"What exactly does that mean?" Loki asked. Looking at me and I groaned.

"I am not explaining either one of those." I said and rolled over onto my stomach to hide my face I the pillow. "Tony, the only erotic adventure I really want to have right now, is one with sleep. I say he can stay, the rest of you have to leave."

"Don't be crude Stark." Loki said and I felt the fingers of exhaustion creep back into my brain, and I closed my eyes that felt like they were lined with sand.

"Brother, perhaps we should talk..." Thor began still in a bit of shock, and Tony cut him off.

"I'm currently not the one who wanted to make whoopie with the Pretty Reckless there." Tony shot back, and I put an hand up into my hair and lifted the pillow to hide from the irritating sound of the voices in the room and wanted to scream. Instead I settled for reaching my arm out and picking up the battery powered alarm clock in the table next to me and closing my hand around it.

"It is so lovely to see you have matured since we last met." Loki replied coolly and I tightened my grip on the clock.

"Can I just sleep please?" I groaned out again, and I saw Clint shift uncomfortably as he tried to ignore the entire thing he had just seen.

"Do you even hear what I am saying?" Stark said.

"Perhaps she will rest better alone?" Thor suggested and I rolled aggressively onto my back and sat up and threw the alarm clock, missing everyone completely. It bounced off the wall and broke, the pieces clattered against the floor, breaking apart further and I growled in frustration.

"Oh my God!" I shouted. "I am twenty years old, and allowed to make decisions for myself, now everyone just shut the hell up and let me sleep."

Natasha walked into the room and looked at the scene and she sighed as she saw Loki and I on the bed, she then looked down at the broken alarm clock and raised an eyebrow at all of us. She shrugged as Tony crossed his arms, and I flopped back on the pillow.

"I heard yelling, this must be what you meant by him growing on you." She said calmly, and I rooted back into my blanket and I shifted around, extricating myself from the quilt and sitting back up.

"I give up," I said and pulled the quilt up and nearly tripping over it in my anger. "Now that this is Party Central, and no one thinks I am allowed to make decisions for myself, I am going somewhere else to sleep."

I pushed past everyone in anger and padded down the hall toward the front room, where Sif looked up from a tablet she was studying as she sat in a chair and looked at me concerned. I collapsed onto the couch and leaned over, pulling my knees up to my chest and put the blanket over my face, tucking the rest of it around me and closed my eyes.

"Why are you out here?" Sif asked and I pulled the blanket down from my face and looked at her with one eye.

"The bedroom got too crowded." I said and she looked toward the hall to see Loki turn the corner into the room, following me and she pulled her sword and held it to his neck. I jumped up and dove over the back of the couch and put myself between the two of them. I was getting tired of everyone threatening him with swords or beating him up.

"Sif! No!" I shouted and put my hands out to stop her from killing him, she looked at me with a shocked expression and she lowered her sword as Fandral looked at the three of us and put two and two together, he glared at Loki silently.

"Please tell me, you are not going to tell me that I am not allowed to make decisions for myself too." I said to her and I walked out from between the two of them as Sif put her sword away and I sat heavily in a chair and buried my face in my hands and groaned. A warm cup was put into my hands and I took a deep breath from the cup of tea, smelling the warm earthy blend. I took a careful sip and looked at Natasha gratefully and sighed, feeling detached from my body as the cat I was not ready to be let out of its bag was freed, hissing and screaming into public view.

The rest of the group filed into the room, and I sighed, pressing the cup against my forehead and looked up at everyone. My head was starting to pound from lack of sleep, and I was aching all over. My eyes fought to close, and I groaned as I sipped more of the warm liquid and the room became overly tense. I took another sip of the tea, and sighed as my back slouched forward and I stood up slowly.

"This is good." I said to Natasha, and I walked over to the picture window that over looked Snoqualmie Ridge and sipped more tea as I watched it start to rain.

"Can we all address what we saw?" Tony said and I continued to look out the window, not caring about what they thought at the moment.

"Can you all just shut the hell up about it?" I asked and Loki nodded his agreement about it as I drained the last of the mug and walked over to Loki and handed Tony the mug. Natasha took it and she sighed in the awkwardness.

"You are probably the most powerful being in the entire room, and we may not want this going on too far." Tony replied and I turned and walked back over to Loki and sighed and I shifted.

"And your point about that?" I asked, feeling extra bitchy.

"You are the most hunted person in the universe, you are scared maybe you have not made the best life choices right now?" Tony said and I rolled my eyes and groaned at him.

"I am twenty years old, and still a human being the last time I checked." I said and walked over to the couch and grabbed the quilt off of it and struggled to wrap it around my shoulders, Loki took it from me and draped it over me as I stood staring at Tony and everyone else in the room in defiance.

"God damn, chicks sure do dig jerks." Tony said and looked up exasperated.

"I am allowed to choose what I want or do not want in my life!" I screamed at the room, Loki put his hands on my shoulders to calm me and I sighed. "It is my life, and I can do what I want with it."

"Perhaps anger is not a good thing from you right now." Loki suggested and I took in several deep breaths.

"You know a situation is really bad when he becomes the voice of reason." Clint said and I felt dizzy and nearly fell backwards, Loki catching me and I took several more deep breaths to reclaim myself from the vertigo.

Everyone looked at me with concern, and I shook my head as my feet gave out and I started falling toward the ground and felt Loki's arms wrap around me to guide me down, a hand cradled my head and I groaned. Clint ran forward and took my pulse as I leaned back against Loki, he stood up next to the two of us and left the room quickly to get something. My head was spinning and I couldn't find the floor with both hands as I lay back and tried not to loose my mind and self control at that moment.

"You always have options Lady, and you..." Thor started as I glared up at him in anger, his voice trailed off and he shifted from one foot to the other.

"And I'm what Thor?" I said letting all my frustrations out as I stood back up on shaky feet.

"A bullet in the chamber of a gun waiting for someone to pull the goddamn trigger? A foolish little girl with starry eyes? Which is it?" I said and pointed at him as I stepped toward him. "I became painfully aware of what I was when you kidnapped me and forced me to give up my humanity two weeks ago, and guess who gave it back to me the whole time I was stuck with all of you! He was the first person to actually treat me like I was someone instead of something, where were you through all that? Where were you when I had no idea how to protect myself and vulnerable on a beach? So don't be surprised how this worked out the way it did, I am so tired of being treated like I am nothing more than a weapon and damn novelty! I do not regret anything that has happened over the last few days and I refuse to allow anyone to convince me that it is a mistake."

Clint returned to the room as everyone looked at me, I wrapped the blanket tighter around myself, holding up a syringe and approaching with caution. I looked at him cautiously, and at the meds in his hand as I stepped back.

"Your heart rate is all over the place, it is a mild sedative to help you sleep." He said and I looked down at the floor.

"I don't want to be this monster anymore." I said and I let Clint roll up my sleeve and start cleaning the inside of my arm with an alcohol soaked pad.

"This will help you sleep, you need it more than anything else right now." He said and I laughed sardonically at him, and he winked at me as he inserted the needle and pulled the plunger back pulling in some blood before he pressed on it slowly. He put his thumb over a gauze pad and removed the needle and bent my elbow back as he disposed of everything.

"You do not make a fair assessment of yourself." Loki said and I turned my head toward him. "You are so much more than you perceive, your brilliance is one of the better qualities you possess, your wisdom has guided you, and you have a strength to stand behind your convictions that few possess. You are brave, and are quick to learn, but wise enough to allow yourself to be guided in the decisions you make. Not many beings would sacrifice themselves for a city of strangers that once rejected them, you have risen as I have watched you. From a feral, frightened creature to a wonderful woman, you have within you the power to shape and create a future that is far more brilliant than the one we are currently in. I am proud to be the one who has guided you in your learning, and helped you to take the first steps to control the power in you."

"You never were a weapon, you are a true Goddess in your own right, and any being who dares to challenge that will have to answer to me." He said and I blinked at him as I stood quietly, staring at the gathered people.

Loki crossed his arms and looked at Thor and Tony and the rest of the room looked back at him in disbelief as I looked down at the tile, the sedative working toward my brain.

"Wow." Tony said and I looked at him. "You have it really bad for her."

I rolled my eyes and Thor laughed in a deep, throaty chuckle.

"We may not be of blood, but I still call you sister." Thor said. "And I am honored to call you that, as is Sif."

I smiled as Sif came forward and put an arm around me, and she hugged me.

"No offense," I said and laughed a bit as I felt high from the sedative. "But we are so one messed up family, but that may just be the best part. You guys are the dysfunctional family I always wanted. What do we do next about the guy hunting me, this other half of the soul that made me?"

"You are going to have to face him and kill him." Loki said and looked openly sad at the words he had uttered. "It will be the only way to reclaim the other half of your being, and your powers will become complete. You will also be able to live without fear of him coming for you one day. My fear however, is you facing him alone and weakened."

"We are all here." Volstagg said, and I smiled at him.

"Want to be an Avenger kid?" Clint asked me and I laughed at the offer, looking at Loki.

"Sure," I replied. "Can Loki join the band too? I hear he is pretty damn good on guitar."

"This is about to get interesting, I knew I should have just stayed in bed today." Tony said and the whole room laughed, Loki included and I sighed and smiled up at him.

"We are all going to stop this being, one way or another." Thor said and We all looked at him as I yawned openly and rubbed my eyes with the quilt.

"You need rest." Sif said, and guided me toward the hall, Loki following us and I saw Tony and Thor look at the parade as we walked by.

"Wait, him?" Tony said and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yes, him." I said and looped my arm through Loki's. "He at least has more goals than the last guy I dated."

"Let it go Stark." Thor said and looked at his friend. "Sif will kill him if he breaks her heart."

I laughed as Sif nodded and guided me down the hall, I sighed as we walked Loki put his hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him and smiled as my eyes fought to stay open.

"Yes Stark, I will be a gentleman." He said over his shoulder and I wrapped myself in the blanket.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She had fallen asleep as soon as she had laid her head on the pillow, and stayed in that state for approximately three hours now. Loki glanced up at her from the book he was idly reading, pausing as she shifted on the bed and settled her body into a different position. He returned to the book and had read another four pages about the fall of the Empire of Rome when he looked up to see Natasha standing in the doorway, holding some clothes in her hands.

"I managed to dig these up." She said and he regarded her with indifference as he closed the book and set it up on the desk.

"I will show them to her when she wakes up." He replied calmly as Lilliana shifted and moaned on the bed again as she settled back into sleep, her foot poking out from under the quilt as she pulled the blanket up over her in her sleep. Loki stood and leaned over the bed on one hand to pull the quilt back over her foot as Natasha smiled amused at him, he straightened and stretched himself.

"She is pretty far out, the sedative Clint gave her will help her stay out at least until morning." She said and folded the shirt and pants up, setting them both on the table as she turned to him.

"I can break you for a bit if you want to go get something to eat." She said and glanced down at the sleeping girl.

Loki deliberated leaving her, and shifted a bit on his feet as Natasha looked at him and she pulled a folded magazine out of her back pocket. He sighed, and looked at her coolly and she motioned for him to go eat. He walked to the door as she sat down on the couch and relaxed back into the cushions as she flipped through the magazine. She glanced back up at him and sighed, and set the book in her lap.

"Go eat, I will get you if anything changes. I doubt it though, she is going to sleep better than any of us." She said and picked the glossy paged book and began reading quietly.

"We could have a massive earthquake and she would not notice." Natasha said and glanced up at him as he turned from the woman and walked down the hall with his hands behind his back to the front room. Everyone stopped talking among themselves and looked up at him as he approached the table where a buffet of food was spread out and Volstagg looked up at him as he looked at the spread.

Some things on the platters and in the trays, he recognized immediately and other things he inwardly wished he had Lilliana with him to guide him through selecting. He picked up a few of the small round tomatoes and looked around at everyone, aware that he was being watched.

"The ribs are rather good, there is a wonderful sauce on them tha' Clint made." Volstagg said and belched to himself as Clint walked into the house through a glass door carrying another tray of meat from outside.

"It is called Barbecue Sauce, and that is a secret family recipe." Clint said and piled the plate of meat in the tray on the table. "I'm going to put a plate together for your friend Loki, she is probably going to be hungry when she wakes up. Can you tell her it will be in the refrigerator when she wakes up?"

"I shall, and I am sure she will appreciate it greatly." Loki replied as he ate a tomato and motioned for a can of Coke from the ice filled bucket on the table. Clint handed it to him and he nodded his thanks.

"She get you to like those?" Clint asked and smiled, trying to make conversation.

"Among a few other things." Loki replied as the doors to a lab off the main room opened and Tony walked in and picked up some carrots from the tray and bit off of one.

"How is Sleeping Beauty?" Tony asked as he chewed and glanced at the open can of Coke in his hand with a look of surprise.

"Still asleep." Loki replied and narrowed his eyes at Stark as he ate the last tomato in his hand and took a drink from the can. "She will most likely be asleep until morning, she exhausted herself and needs to recover from the strain she put on herself. The Sedative you gave he worked well Barton."

"Glad to help her, her heart rate get like that after she runs out of steam?" Clint asked and Loki nodded to him.

"Good, good." Tony said as Thor approached the trio and stood off to the side. Tony crossed his arms and looked at everyone in the immediate area and sighed.

"Because I had Friday run a search on Little Miss. Sunshine in there, and wow, is she ever a powder keg waiting to explode." He said waving his hands as he talked.

"What do you mean?" Thor asked and crossed his arms, obviously not liking what was being said about Lilliana.

"Yes Stark, what are you getting at?" Loki said and looked from Thor to him sighing.

"Well, for one, her juvenile record is a mile long, court mandated psychologists can't give her one set diagnosis at all because she refused to cooperate. Placed in and out of Foster Homes throughout the years. Not one but three suicide attempts, that least one ending with her attacking a ER Doctor as they tried to pump her stomach, and to add a very morbid touch to her life, her ex boyfriend was found slaughtered with two other men in his apartment today." Tony said and took a breath as Thor stepped forward.

"She would argue that she is not her past now." Thor said and Loki agreed with the oaf in that statement. He was angry that she would make an attempt against her own life, and was hopeful that it would never happen again.

"If you are suggesting locking her away, you should know that I doubt any prison could hold her." Loki added, and glared at Stark.

"That I am well aware of, which is why I am going to ask you to get her off the planet as fast as you can. As a precaution, to prevent someone or another government entity from trying to take her out." Tony said and Loki started pacing.

"I will agree with you there, she is safest in Asgard. However, something or someone is preventing us from reaching out to Heimdal Stark." Loki pointed out and looked at Thor. "And between you and I, should any being in this universe try to harm a single hair on her head, I will personally see that the offending person gets no rest from the Hel I have planned for them."

"That I believe." Thor said, and looked around the room at everyone as Natasha walked down the hall toward them, Loki looking at her as she walked over to the table and grabbed a few things onto a plate and looked at the men.

"I'm hungry, and she is still asleep." She said as she stood in the loose circle. "I don't think she needs a keeper every minute of the day."

Everyone looked at him in the quiet and he sighed, ashamed for what he allowed them to see of him as he looked at the people around him quietly, the only person in this small building worth his attention for that matter was the sleeping girl down the hall.

"It still does not solve the problem of this person who wants to kill her." Sif said and walked over to join the circle and everyone regarded her with a nod.

"We don't even know where this guy is, could he be the reason all of you can't jump planet?" Tony asked and Loki knotted his eyebrows in thought.

"It is possible, and he will know she is still not strong enough to take all of us back to Asgard with her. For the time, I took the liberty of using some of my gifts to conceal us all from his sight." Loki said and Thor nodded appreciatively at him.

"Very wise for now Brother." He said and Loki nodded, not showing his arrogance.

"Yeah," Clint said. "The last thing we need is to put up a flag to show this guy where we are while she is helpless."

"Now for the big problem," Tony said. "Do we tell Fury about her or no."

"I say later, after they leave." Clint said and Natasha nodded as she looked at everyone else.

"Keeping her here is like ringing a giant dinner bell into the cosmos, and she is still learning how to control her abilities. She will be safer, and we will be safer as well if we waited. Fury will try to keep here here." Natasha said and took in a deep breath as the group stood in silence for a long time. They all knew that something was coming, but did not know what.

"Here is something else that Friday found that I did omit." Tony said and looked around the room. "She is hyper intelligent, like way smarter than me. If she did not have the record she currently has, any school would pay her for the honor of her attending their institution. I don't say people are smarter than me often, but she is, by far. Her SAT scores were perfect, and her papers she wrote for scientific journals in High School were brilliant, beyond brilliant in fact."

"Her thesis she wrote at fifteen on the historical impacts of Volcanic Eruptions, using a period of History called the Little Ice Age, was mind blowing for someone that age to make such a strong connection. She should be studying and developing new technology. No one should be studying her, she deserves a lab and unlimited funding to play with. Loki is right when he says she could change the world if she wanted. I am still reading all of her reports and papers, and she is definitely someone we should all watch." Tony said and leaned against the wall behind him. Everyone in the room went quiet, and Loki looked at all the faces around him as they studied Stark for his motive.

"What do you want with her Stark?" Loki asked the question everyone was thinking and understood the excitement that Stark felt after learning about her genius, but still felt concern for Lilliana's well being.

"I want to see her go to the best school in the world, her record is what holds her back from finishing her education. Get her in full control of her powers, and I will pay for everything she needs to finish her education." Tony urged, waving his hands as he talked again.

Loki looked at Stark and thought about the offer, all her dreams in one package to be handed to her, and he looked at the group as Natasha blinked at the arrogant man.

"That is quite generous Stark." Loki said and Thor nodded as well as Sif who smiled a bit. Loki turned down to hall to return to his watch, pausing briefly to think as he looked at the wall.

"Make your offer to her when she can control her gifts." He said and took in a breath. "But let her choose the path she sees fit for her."

Loki returned to the room thinking, and saw her still sleeping. The quilt pooled around her waist and he carefully pulled it up over her, dimming the lights before returning to his post on the couch. Looking out the window at the darkened sky beyond, he thought of her happiness at hearing the offer Stark was going to hand her. He smiled thinking of her bent over books and reading all she could, her mind being filled with the wisdom of the men who also sought to expand their knowledge, her nurtured mind exploring and creating as she furthered herself toward her goals.

He sighed at the thought and watched her as she shifted quietly and rubbed his own eyes wearily, sinking back into the cushions of the couch and closed his eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18.

I woke up before anyone else in the house and laughed quietly when I rolled over and saw Loki asleep on the couch. He looked like the least graceful cat in the universe, one foot propped up on the desk, the other hanging off the couch and on the floor. His hair a mop of black that fell over the arm of the couch in a black mass that was matted and tangled, and his arms going every which way. I slipped out of the bed and covered him with the quilt, and he shifted, rolling onto his side as I smoothed the blanket over him. I found some clothes left for me on the desk as I lifted his leg and put it back into the couch so he didn't fall to the floor, and went into the bathroom to put them on before wandering out to the front room with my boots in my hand.

Thor and Fandral were passed out on two separate cots at the far side of the room, and Clint was draped across the couch asleep. I jumped out of my skin and dropped one of my boots when Thor let out a full throaty snore that resembled a Harley Davidson, I giggled to myself at the scene as I slipped my feet into the unlaced boots like slippers. The party at the dorms was so definitely over, and I was the only one with the sharpie pen. I just needed a target to draw some genitals on someones face. I picked up a napkin and found a tray filled with cookies on a table that was filled with the remains of a buffet from the night before, and chose five cookies from the tray in front of me.

I walked out the sliding glass door with my makeshift breakfast and into the fog covered yard, the light drizzle landing in my hair and on my face as I walked across the grassy yard to the pond and stood by it alone. I watched the trees in the distance, finishing my wonderfully nutritious breakfast as the trees that lined the two acre yard vanished and reappeared in the mist. I dusted the crumbs off my hands and stuffed the napkin in my pocket as I kicked at the dirt around the pond, rolling a few rocks under my boot and put the hood of my sweater up as I thought to myself about the previous night.

Loki was right in the long run, I did not give myself an ounce of credit and maybe I was too hard on myself, but who was going to make living easy on me? I lived behind the walls in my head for too many years, I put that first brick in place when my father died and I kept adding to it until it was too high to reach the top. Now that wall was falling, and someone was getting in, someone was taking a peek inside the castle, and I was afraid of what they would see. I didn't want anyone in, and that thought alone was a scary thing for me.

I was scared shitless of what I was becoming by letting that wall down, and showing everyone my life. I was not used to being that vulnerable and naked in front of anyone, let alone Loki. What if he saw my scars and judged me for every last one of them, finding my past to be something he was ashamed of? What if he looked at it and saw the monster I really am?

I should never have let him in. God, I was stupid.

I shivered a bit with the cold, but I did not want to go back inside, too many damn people and too few places to think. The quiet I was enjoying now was a huge juxtaposition to the chaos of the last two weeks, and right now I just needed time to process everything. I never got that back in Asgard after being told what I was, I was yanked out on adventures, nearly killed and got into fights. Maybe I just needed some time to myself to think about what was shoved down my throat by Odin and given time alone. I was also not ready to go back in and face the mess inside the house as well.

I gave one of the rocks I had been rolling under my boot a good kick as I shoved my hands into my pants pocket and watched it sail across the pond halfway, and watched it hit the surface, creating a ripple as it fell below the water.

"Good kick." Someone said behind me and I nearly Jumped out of my skin. I turned around and saw Clint standing behind me, holding two mugs of coffee.

"Jesus man," I said back to him and took one of the offered cups. "Make some noise when you walk, I nearly peed my pants here."

He cracked a smile at my statement and sipped from his mug as I turned back to the trees. Wanting to just be alone with my thoughts for a bit more, and angry for the invasion.

"Sorry, Thor woke me up." I laughed a bit as I held the mug in both of my hands and drank from the cup gingerly.

"I heard him, Norse God of Thunder or Harley Davidson, you make the call." He smiled again at my joke and looked at the trees with me as they ghosted in and out of view in the fog.

"I like you kid." He said and I smiled back at him.

"Thanks old man." I joked back and he gave me a sidelong glance as I sighed.

"A Cherokee Rose huh?" Clint said, breaking the silence and making me cringe a bit over the fact that no one could drop the fact that I had a tattoo. I was already not looking forward to explaining to the Asgardians about it.

"Yeah." I replied and looked at him.

"You know the legend of them right?" He asked, drinking his coffee and looking at the treeline in the distance.

"Of course I know it. You really don't miss much do you?" I said and he looked at me in challenge, I sighed and looked off in the distance.

"On the Trail of Tears, the mothers of the Cherokee Nation were weeping and grieving over the children who died along the way, the elders prayed every night to the gods and the Sacred Mother to return hope to the women because they were loosing their own faith. The Gods answered, and turned the tears into seeds that fell to the ground and grew into flower. For every tear that the women shed in loss, a white bloom opened along the trail and they women began to feel hope and the whole nation started to become stronger as a tribe. The entire nation became unified in their grief, and the rose remained behind in a symbol of hope in hopeless places." Clint looked at me and nodded, I grinned at him and laughed a bit.

"Another person who is amazed by how smart I am." I joked and drank my coffee.

"No, but I am wondering what gives you strength." He asked me and I looked down into my coffee mug.

"My life has never been easy, and not many people have given a damn weather or not I lived or died. I suppose it is hope that things that will get better gives me strength, as long as I am alive there is always a chance to improve it all a chance to find all that shit I lost and to maybe find myself along the journey." I replied to his question, and he put his hand on my shoulder and smiled at me.

"Now I really like you," He said and I laughed. "I may still think one of your decisions is off, but I can respect it."

I laughed again, catching his meaning like a shotgun blast, and took another drink of coffee.

"Thanks," I said and turned to look back at the trees. "Wait until you really get to know me though. I am a vexing, willful girl." Clint laughed at my surprisingly convincing Loki impression and I smiled back at him.

I kicked up another rock from the dirt and gave it another good kick over the pond as the mist parted and gave us a good view of the trees. It swallowed them back up and hid them from us a few moments later, but it was a haunting and beautiful sight. The quiet ghosts of the planet, checking on creation and leaving again. The quiet morning was broken by the sounds of the house behind us coming to life as Thor gave out another snore of epic proportions, someone yelled at him and tried to go back to sleep.

"I pity any woman that man marries." I groaned and Clint laughed hard at my joke, the house further came to life as the slamming of doors told me that my not being in bed had been noticed and I was about to face the irritation of Loki.

"Incoming." I said sardonically and took another sip of the coffee to hide my amusement as Clint looked over his shoulder and back at the house, someone yelling at Thor again about his snoring.

"God of Making Mountains out of Molehills in 3...2..." Clint laughed again, as we both heard footsteps walking toward us in the grass.

"Morning Mr. Grumpy pants." I said, causing Clint to choke on a mouthful of coffee as Loki walked up and I sighed.

Loki made an irritated sound and I chuckled to myself knowing I had gotten his goat for a few seconds, and I heard him walk closer to stand next to me as I looked at the pond and the trees beyond it.

"What, may I ask, are you doing out here?" He asked and I turned toward him and showed him my nearly empty coffee mug.

"Drinking coffee and enjoying the view, talking to Clint." I said and Clint tipped his cup to him.

"Morning." Clint said tersely, with a bemused smile on his face as he looked at the two of us.

"Barton." He replied coolly, I rolled my eyes getting annoyed with the constant Loki hate fest going on, but I ignored it and drank the last of my coffee silently. I managed to ignore everyone around me, and I sighed.

"Thor get anything figured out about the Bifrost?" I said and watched raindrops creating ripples on the surface of the pond, studying the way they intersected and passed over one another in their meeting.

"Are you rested enough for the journey back, should he have the problem solved?" Loki asked me and I pressed my lips together.

"Yeah, I guess so." I said and kicked another rock over the pond, the rain getting heavier as the mist began churning and rolling in thicker, swallowing up the edge of the yard.

"Good." He said and turned back toward the house. "You have much left to learn Little Mouse, and your black eyed friend is still looking for you."

He walked back to the house as Clint and I watched, I waited until he got some distance from us before I turned to Clint in confusion. He was known for being standoffish, but this was definitely weird on a whole new level.

"What the hell crawled up his ass and died?" I asked Clint and he told me everything that Tony had found on me, my jaw hit the ground as my entire being sank through the dirt under my boots as I nearly started to cry. My inner bitch raged, clawing at the bars of her cage and I opened the bars happily to let her out to play. I stalked back to the house and stormed through the sliding glass door, and hissed at Tony. Everyone saw the look on my face and cringed back, Thor and Fandral edging back as I heard Clint run through the door behind me.

I scanned the faces and locked on Tony, my hand tightened on the mug as I approached. My knuckles turning white as I gripped the ceramic in my hand. He backed up and tried to keep distance between myself and him, but I had turned into a stalking, caged tiger. I refused to take my eyes off him as we walked in a circle around the room.

"You son of a BITCH!" I shouted at him as he backed around the room, and we began circling like boxers in a ring. I intended to throw the first and last punch.

"You told everyone, everything about me? You pulled my records and used them to humiliate me? Who the holy hell do you think you are?" The mug in my hand creaked under the pressure I put on it as Tony struggled to keep distance between myself and him.

"Listen princess." He said and raised two fingers at me. "You really need to calm down, not only is anger a bad thing for you to have, but you are not tall enough to be scary."

Tony smiled at me and the final straw broke, I squeezed the mug in my hand and it cracked and broke into pieces. I could feel the ceramic dig into my palm and managed to not groan in pain as the pieces got stuck in my hand. The room was completely quiet, and I could heel hot blood drip as I let go of the pieces of the mug that I still held, I raised the palm of my hand up and used my teeth to pull an imbedded piece out and spit it on to the ground. My hand instantly began healing and I looked at everyone in the room, one face at a time.

No one said anything, I doubted if they even breathed. The only sound was the blood that dripped from my hand to the floor. Loki backed next to Sif, and I glared at everyone as my anger hit the boiling point.

"That was scary." Tony said and looked pale.

"How scary Tony?" I hissed at him and Loki stepped forward to try and stop me before the fight escalated.

"You want to tell me what gave you the right to even think about looking up my records, let alone what part of your messed up head that said it was O.K to tell everyone about me like that?" I said to him and took a step forward.

"You want to calm down?" Tony replied and I laughed at him.

"You tell me now to calm down? What gives you that right?" I shouted walking toward him, and he backed away as I growled.

"You tell me something, and be perfectly clear. Which lie I have been spoon fed for twenty years is worse. The one where I am a perfectly normal human, or the one where I actually have the right to fucking privacy?" I said as his back met the window and he nearly jumped out of his own skin as I slapped my injured hand against the window, leaving a bloody hand print next to his head.

"Look Princess, I did what I had to do to ensure everyone in this team would be safe. I don't know what you are capable of, and who you are..." Tony started and I laughed, cutting him off as I stepped back from him and closed my screaming hand.

"Safe? That is funny coming from you. Safe. You tell me how the fuck I am supposed to trust anyone ever again." I said and turned away from him and walked down the hall to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. Leaning against it as I slipped down to the floor and let myself cry. I felt so violated and I did not want anyone near me at the moment.

My injured hand throbbed with every beat of my heart, and I stood up slowly and ran it under the water in the sink, the deep cut oozing, but still healing. I wrapped it in a towel and returned to the bed and sat down on it quietly and groaned as I let myself lay back. I stared up at the ceiling, and tried not to cry more as I lay there indulging my own self pity when the door opened. I looked up briefly and saw Natasha standing in the doorway, holding up a roll of bandages. I stayed in my position and held the towel wrapped hand out at her.

"You are wasting your time, it is healing already." I said and she still sat down next to me and began working on the hand.

"I'm saving the towels." She replied and I hissed in pain as she put a gauze pad into the palm of my hand, I opened an eye to see her cringe at the mess I had made of it and sighed.

"Bad?" I asked her and closed my eyes as she left the hand on top of the towel, and opened the package of gauze bandage.

"I have seen worse, but this is still a mess." She said and began wrapping the hand to hold a bit of blood in my body. "It is a good thing you heal quickly, otherwise you would need stitches, and probably loose some use of the hand."

"Damn. I was hoping to be completely useless on top of being a criminal." I groaned out and covered my face again.

"You are not the only one here with a record." Natasha said plainly, and I laughed sardonically.

"Just finish and go away." I said and started reinforcing my personal wall. This time, no one was getting in and I was going to make sure of that. When all this was over, I was going to take what I could, and survive on the road. To hell with what I was and to hell with everyone else.

I didn't say anything more, and didn't open my eyes when heavy foot falls entered the room and stopped. I glanced over at Natasha as she tied off the bandage, and checked over her work. My hand screamed as she tied the knot in the bandages one last time, and I flinched and felt my face pinch in pain as she gathered up all her things, and left the room quietly.

"Keep it elevated for a bit, it will keep it from swelling." She said as she left and I scooted around on the bed, propping my head on the pillow and rolled over onto my side to ignore Loki.

"Go ahead and start yelling at me. I am going to ignore you though, just a heads up." I said over my shoulder and waited for the verbal bitch slapping to come. I didn't give a shit any more what he had to say.

I felt him sit down on the bed behind me, and rested his hand on my side as I scooted away from him. I looked over my shoulder at him and he regarded me without pity, but concern. I sighed and rolled over on my back, he gingerly lifted the bandaged hand and looked down at the bandage and sighed.

"I believe the pain you are in now is punishment enough for your foolishness." He said and I rolled my eyes in annoyance at his calm demeanor.

"Does anything ever freaking get through to you, or are you always a narcissistic butt head?" I shot at him and he glanced up at me with annoyance.

"I am doing my best to remain calm after witnessing your self destructive act, but trust me, I do want to scold you for damaging your hand." He said and his fingers touched the tips of mine. "You have graceful fingers, and it is a pity to see such a thing come to harm."

"He had no right to do any of that." I said and draped my good arm across my eyes. "He just exposed every nasty secret about me I hoped to keep buried, and now the cat is out of the bag. I have nothing, no one will ever respect me for anything I do in the future, I'm naked and violated. And now, I would like to crawl under a rock and vanish. On top of that, you are ultra disgusted with me and that is bad enough I lost the respect of the one person whose opinion of me mattered."

I tried to roll back onto my side trying to not cry, but he held fast to my hand and refused to let it go. He shifted as he looked at me, and placed his other hand over the bandaged one, laughing at me as he sat there.

"What?" I said sharply, but he kept laughing at me as I rolled my eyes and tried to roll back over but he still held my hand.

"You truly believe that the petty crimes you have committed are worse than the ones I have, that you are judged by a few minor transgressions?" He laughed harder at me and I grinned at him as I rolled my eyes, his eyes sparkled with the amusement and I sighed.

"You made your point," I said. "Knock it off jerk."

I pulled the sheet over my face to hide that I was turning red and giggled a bit and heard him shift and felt the movement next to me, he leaned over close and felt his breath on my ear as I groaned in embarrassment. My anger faded and now I was just depressed, trying to hide from everyone so I could just try and relax.

"You believe in redemption for sins, and your time for redemption has come. Soon you will walk through the inferno, fearless in your steps, and it will hurt and burn you. I see you facing it with grace and dignity, and when you emerge from the heart of the sun, you will brush away the ashes of your past. The person who will emerge, the glorious and shining woman you will be. You will be untouchable by anyone, even me. You will become the future, and the universe will be yours to hold."

I slowly uncovered my face and looked at him, unable to speak as I processed what he said to me. Hearing my heart hammer away in my chest. His eyes were filled with a bit of sorrow, and I swallowed hard.

"You really believe this?" I asked him and he nodded at me silently, I looked into his eyes and he smiled gently as I felt the weight of his words crash down on me. I swallowed hard and blinked as he gauged my reaction, and he used a long finger to sweep a stray strand of hair out of my face.

"You truly are a survivor, and I hold no fear of your falling, because you will not. No matter where your journey takes you, and no matter if I am there with you or not, I know that you will still be alive in the end. That is the only thing that will ever matter to me. To know that you will always be out there somewhere, and that your life will be endless." He said and a tear traced down my cheek as I lay back and my breath escaped in a sigh and my lips parted, his thumb brushed away the tear and he pulled me close to him and I melted against him as I cried into his neck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I lay wrapped around him and we were both exhausted and covered in sweat, he pulled the quilt up over me as I shivered in the stillness with my cheek rested on his chest listening to his heart beat as I looked out the window quietly. His hand rested on my back between my shoulders, and made lazy circles as my other hand found his under the sheet and I laced my fingers between his. His eyes were closed peacefully, and I sighed gently as I watched the rain fall outside and his fingertips found a bit of my hair and he began twirling it around his finger.

I smiled a bit as he opened his eyes and looked down at me, and he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it. Not a word passed between us for the last hour, and neither one of us cared. We were in our own world now, and I felt so very safe in that moment. He pulled me closer to him and bowed his head to kiss the top of my head and I smiled wider at him.

"How do you feel?" He asked me softly and I sighed and shifted so that my chin rested on his chest as he watched me.

"Safe, and a bit scared." I said and he frowned at me.

"Why scared?" Loki asked me and his hand traced down my spine.

"I am scared that I will never feel this safe again." His hand squeezed mine as he smiled and unlaced his fingers from mine and pressed the palm of my hand over his heart, covering it with his and his eyes never left mine.

"This is yours, and it will protect you, no matter where you are, no matter how far away. I will find you and keep you safe, always." He said and I kissed him, letting the quilt fall down around my waist and his breath became ragged again as I wound my fingers into his hair and my heart that had finally just stilled began pounding again.

"I don't want to die and make you face grieving me." I said and he looked up at me and traced his fingers along my jaw and pulled me close to him and rolled himself on top of me. I hooked my arms under his and pulled him down on top of me and sighed.

"Then live." He whispered into my neck, and I pushed my head back into the pillow and teased him by dodging a kiss. He laughed and his eyes sparkled down at me, his arms resting on either side of my head and crushed his mouth against mine. I arched up into him and buried my face into his shoulder as the kiss broke and pushed him back and kissed him directly over his heart, his hands wrapped around my back and I laughed a bit and he smiled down at me.

"So very beautiful." He said and he trailed his hand down to my naked waist, and kissed up my shoulder to my neck and jaw, my head falling back and a soft sigh passing from me into the ceiling.

"So very gentle." I said, and he smiled down at me and laughed softly.

"You see the true me Little Mouse." He said and I let my fingertips trace his lips, his hand captured mine again and he kissed my fingertips in the still quiet. I arched my back and I sighed again as his fingertips dug into my hip gently, my heart pounded in my ears and I trembled a bit as he hooked a hand behind my knee and his other hand braced itself between my shoulder blades. I wanted him so badly again, I let a moan escape me as a knock came from the door and he sighed and groaned, rolling to the side and covering me with the quilt and looking at me apologetically.

"Do you think they heard us?" I whispered and pulled the blanket up to my chin as the door opened, making me freeze like a deer in headlights. Loki put his hand on my shoulder as the Norse God of Being Inconvenient walked into the room followed by Tony Stark. Thor froze and looked embarrassed as Tony made it his new hobby to study the ceiling, I pulled the quilt up further as Loki slipped his hand over me and around my waist over the blanket, I swallowed hard.

"Brother...We...Wanted... wanted to see if the Lady Lilliana was well." Thor said, and I gave him a thumbs up and blushed into the blanket.

"I'm good Meat Swing." I said as Sif walked in with a tray of warm food and I groaned as she froze, looking at the both of us and her eyes went wide.

"Lilly?" She said and I blushed and smiled at her as Loki traced his hand down my arm and over my hand. She looked around at where to put the tray and couldn't make a decision, so she glared at Loki with the tray shaking in her hands in anger.

"I will kill you!" She hissed at him, and I shifted and threw a hand out as he jerked back a bit.

"Lilly. What? Are you? You are dead Loki!" She screamed at him and I tried not to hide more.

"Sif," I said and looked at her patiently and she diffused a bit at a time. "I am fine, horribly embarrassed, but happy."

Thor looked at the other two, and I scooted down into the blanket to hide a bit more, feeling more naked than I ever had in my life.

"I need a drink," Tony said and Thor raised his eyebrows. "I need many drinks to wipe this from the hard drive."

"We shall take out leave then." Thor said and grabbed Sif's arm as he turned to leave, I buried my face in the blanket and groaned as the door closed and Loki buried his nose in the place where my shoulder and neck connected.

"I did not get to steal his car, but that was highly amusing." He said and I laughed as he kissed the birthmark under my ear, his lips lingering and making me shiver when the door slammed open again violently, making me jump.

"Put your clothes back on and never do that again, Xena out here is planning a horrible death for him, and I think it may involve power tools." Tony said and closed the door quickly, I burst into laughter and Loki gently rolled me back to look at me as I buried my face into his chest and turned red.

"I think we may have broken Tony." I said as I sat up and looked around the room and pinched my face in thought as I looked at the boot on top of the wardrobe.

"How did that get up there?" I asked him and he looked at it with me and had to think about it for a moment and laughed. I gathered the quilt around me and looked around the room. I stood on shaky legs and found my pants and shirt, I tossed him his pants and I could feel his eyes on me as I padded around the room.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as he sat up and rested his arm on a sheet covered knee and smiled at me.

"Admiring the view." He said and looked at the boot again, I smiled at him and I turned to walk into the bathroom for a shower, leaving the door open.

"I will try to save you some hot water." I said as I turned and went into the bathroom, turning the water on and standing under the warm spray. I could hear Loki shift about and I looked through the steam on the glass doors as he stood and turned his back toward me to reach to boot on the top of the wardrobe, the network of scars continued down to his thighs and I sighed looking at them.

It hurt me to see them and to know how much any being could endure before reaching their breaking point, I turned and rinsed the soap off of me so he wouldn't see me staring. I left the water running for him as I dried off ans dressed as quietly as I could. He had lay back down on his stomach and was dozing a bit when I silently slipped into the room and put my hand onto his back, he opened one eye and looked at me as I looked at his back sadly.

"Your touch is more kind that the one who gave me that scar." He said and my breath hitched in my chest. I didn't know what words to say that would erase them and the hell he endured when I jerked my hand back and sighed.

"I wish this never happened to you." I said and he sighed tensing at the words, he looked at me.

"You can wish all you want, but it will never change the past." He said and pushed up off the bed, walking toward the bathroom.

"Loki," I said and he turned toward me. "Your right, the past can't be changed, I can't fix you and you can't fix me. No one can take the broken pieces in us and put them back together. We can't bury each others past, no matter how much we try."

He looked back down at me, and I took in a breath.

"Maybe we can just support one another while we fix ourselves and come to terms with our own pasts. Then we can look at each other and see the amazing people we become." I finished and he pressed his lips together. The words hung in the air and I did my best to not look away, he looked at me and smiled as he walked back over and pulled me up into a hug.

"That is all I would ask of you." He said as he let me go, kissing the top of my head as he released me and walked into the bathroom. I sighed and smiled back at him as he vanished through the door and looked at the computer.

I sat down at the desk and picked up the brush, running the bristles through my damp hair. My injured hand still felt clumsy, even though is was nearly healed with the exception of a few long pink scars along the palm of it. I looked at it and cursed my hot temper, and knew I had to get it under control before I did something really stupid, but that was a task for another time.

I tied back my mop of black hair and turned on the computer, and opened the browser as I set the wireless keyboard into my lap and logged into the USGS under a dummy account with full access. I had set up the account years ago out of boredom, and I wanted to keep tabs on a few interesting points on the geologic map. Their network was not at all hard to hack, just a bit tricky overall, but I still felt like a real criminal for doing it. I had hacked worse in my life, much worse.

I clicked on the readouts for the New Madrid Seismic Zone and looked at them, reading a few notes and memos on the active fault line system near the Mississippi River Delta. I checked a few Volcanoes and looked at the network around Mt. Redoubt in Alaska, and saw an internal memo pop up and become really annoying. I read through it and my heart and stomach sank into my feet as a cold sweat broke out all over my body.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone had gone completely silent, and there were fears of a major rupture on the plate boundary that stretched from Vancouver Island north of us, and all the way down to Northern California. I internally screamed when I saw the activity from a week ago mentioned in the memo.

A Slow Slip Event was in progress when it went silent, it actually went from absolutely normal seismic activity to zero at about two in the afternoon yesterday. The fault line was stalled and building energy as I sat there staring at a computer monitor like an idiot.

I bolted out of my chair and ran down the hall toward Tony Stark's lab, I ran into Thor and Sif and pushed them both out of the way not saying anything to the two of them as I hurried on down the hall. I tried to open the glass front door and it refused me access. I slammed both of my hands onto the glass desperately, and Clint let me in and I shot toward the computer as I ran around a table. Tony looked at me as if I had just lost my mind.

"I need that computer." I said and ran over to it and started opening the browser and logged quickly back into the USGS. I spread everything over three monitors and looked up to see Thor and Sif hurry into the room after me. I looked around for a pen and glanced at the white board to my left that someone had drawn a crude picture on, and frowned at it.

"Someone get Loki, he is in the shower. I need a pen, and that white board cleaned off." I said and no one moved, they instead just stared at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to tell us what is going on?" Tony asked and I nearly screamed, Thor picked up a pen and brought it to me.

"Just do it!" I yelled and Sif left the room as Clint began wiping off the board. Thor crossed his arms as I began writing numbers on the back of my hand, he looked at the monitors over my shoulder and frowned.

"What is the Caskadi Soobdooction Zone?" He asked and I did my best to think and ignore him for a moment. I stopped to think briefly, and continued writing the numbers and figures on the back of my hand and up my arm.

"Look, I have heard of two intelligent people making super smart babies, but I have never heard of Sexually Transmitted Genius." Tony said as I began scribbling on the white board furiously, and Thor watched me with interest. I glared at his joke and tried my best to not threaten him as I continued working.

"This is really bad news Tony, so please shut up for five minutes so I can think." I said and continued doing the math in my head.

"What is going on here?" Loki said as everyone in else in the house filed into the lab. Loki walked over to the board and looked at my calculations as I did my best to ignore the voices around me.

"Did you mess with her head?" Natasha asked and I paused and gave everyone a wild eyed stare and gestured for quiet.

"Little Mouse?" Loki asked concerned and I tried to think again on what I was working on.

"Is it something to do with your black eyed friend?" Clint asked and I threw the marker in my hand at them and grabbed another one off the board.

"Can everyone shut up for five minutes so I can think?" I said and returned to my calculations, writing swiftly and covering one side of the board and running across the room to a window to continue to write. I stepped back from it and closed my eyes as everyone looked at me. The marker dropped from my fingers and my entire being wanted off the West Coast.

"God I hate being right." I said and looked as the horrifyingly silent seismograph, begging it to even just twitch silently as I walked over to the television sized monitor.

"Seriously Princess, what is going on?" Tony said and I called up a map of the world and displayed it on the monitor.

"I found the next move in the chess game I am playing against a very evil partner." I said and turned on my heels and looked around the room. Faces meeting mine and I sighed as I looked at everyone, and rolled my eyes.

"O.K. Party People. Basic Geology 101 time. Who can point at the Pacific Ring of fire?" I asked and Clint raised his hand, I looked at Tony who shrugged and groaned.

"Seriously Tony? Don't you even watch Discovery Channel?" I asked him and a few people looked down at the floor.

"Asgardians excluded, who knows what an earthquake is?" The human hands shot up and I turned to see Loki raise his.

"Alright," I said and pointed at the monitor with the map on it and took a deep breath.

"The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a Mega-thrust Fault line that extends from Northern Vancouver Island to Northern California." I said pointing at the map and showing them how long the fault line was.

"It is the boundary between the San Juan Plate and the North American Plate. Without this seismic zone, we would not have the Cascade Volcanic Arc, and I would not be loosing my collective shit right now." I said and was met with blank stares, I grabbed my hair at the back of my head and groaned in frustration.

"Could you repeat all that, but use smaller words?" Natasha said and I thought for a moment, pacing back and forth as everyone watched me. We were running out of time, and I needed to make them understand without looking insane. I looked at Thor and Loki and grinned. I grabbed Thor and pulled him over in front of the computer and everyone looked at me like I lost my mind, but I moved before anyone could stop me and grabbed Loki by the arm and stood him next to Thor. I stepped back and switched their positions, and then put them about two feet apart.

"You guys are my visual aid, just humor me and go with it." I said as I grabbed Thor's hand and put it up between them flat, then grabbing Loki's hand and covering Thor's with his. They both looked at each other, and then at me. As I ducked under their hands and started talking.

"Thor is the Juan De Fuca Plate, he is under the pacific Ocean and is chilling with the fish. Loki is the North America Plate, Seattle, Tacoma, where we are now, growing trees and all that great stuff. Do I have everybody?" I said and everyone nodded, I put my hands over their hands and looked at everyone as the two men looked at me. A few giggles came from Fandral.

This here is the plate boundaries, the land that Thor is travels under the land that Loki is. As he slowly moves west, it is usually slow and fairly steady, and has happened like this for millions of years with no problems. As Thor moves under Loki, mountain ranges are created, and volcanoes are born from the plates colliding into each other. Nature however, is a pain at times, and as the North American Plate grows and shifts, Juan De Fuca is cycled down into the Earth's core." I said and looked up at everyone and they nodded at me.

"Now, Thor and Loki a week ago entered a dangerous event for both plates called a Slow Slip Event, this is when both plates decided to start moving at a steady rate, and sometimes it is just business as usual for the two plates." I said and moved their hands over one another, everyone watching, and Tony looked at me.

"Why is it dangerous?" Fandral asked and I stopped moving their hands and looked up at him, and nodded. I turned quickly and showed the normal seismic measuremens on the larger screens and returned to my two visual aids.

"This is what it looks like when Cascadia started the Event, it was steady and the graph shows that there were a few bumps." I pointed at the sudden spikes in the graph, and turned back to my aids, grabbing their wrists and started moving their hands again.

"Now, the reason that this is so dangerous, is because the risk of a major seismic event is elevated should the fault line suddenly stall." I said and put my hand over Thor's hand and stalled Loki's hand with mine to show the build up of energy in a stall, Loki's finders curled against my hand and I kept moving it slowly.

"If the fault line stalls, because Thor has become Stubborn for some reason or another, and Loki is even more stubborn and wants to keep moving East, kinetic energy builds in the boundary and continues to until finally Loki snaps over Thor as he pushes onward." I said and moved my hand and nudged Loki to straighten his hand, and he did so.

"This kinetic energy has to go somewhere, so six hundred and twenty miles of fault line experience the energy release in a major seismic event. An event on a massive scale that takes about five minutes for the energy to settle and release fully as the entire fault line ruptures." I said and Tony looked at me and rubbed his face with his hand, and groaned. I looked around the room and Natasha turned pale, and Clint sighed and thought deeply.

"Basic Plate Tectonics, and my Black Eyed Friend, as you all call him, has figured out how to get my attention in a very big way." I said and looked down, releasing Loki and Thor's hands, I turned and used the keyboard to call up the seismograph from this morning, and Tony went pale. No spikes, nothing, just lines that spiraled around the paper etching horrible reality as the drum slowly rotated.

"Are ye saying that Thor is currently being stubborn Lady?" Volstagg said and I nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

"Bingo!" I said and began typing furiously and called up YouTube on all of the monitors quickly, selecting several videos and setting up my last visual aid.

"This has been going on for almost 24 hours, and it is getting worse by every second, energy is building to create a huge disaster that I am not sure we can stop." I said and turned back around and everyone looked at me. Sif sighed and glanced up at me and pinched her lips and Thor and Loki turned to look at the monitors.

"What happens in this Seismic Event, as you called it, It does not sound so bad to us if it is under an ocean." Sif said and I clicked play on the monitors one at a time to show the results of the March 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami. Thor's face turned pale and the Asgardians watched in horror at the fury of nature incarnate played on the screens.

"You are saying this will happen here?" Thor asked and I looked down at my hands as he turned toward me and then looked back at the monitors as the videos of falling buildings, and drowning people looped and then back up at the still graph as it turned.

"That Earthquake killed seventy thousand people and devastated and entire country, whole fishing villages were wiped off the map in under a few hours, and we will never know the full death toll because so many people were never recovered for burial." I said and swallowed hard and pointed at my calculations.

"The kinetic energy built up will release, and when it does, there will be no where in the Ring of fire you can run or hide from this, the earthquake will be huge, and the shaking will be at a minimum of five to six minutes. The Tsunami will kill millions in North America Alone, and the displacement of the water caused by the fault line snapping back into position, it will cross the ocean at the speed of a jet to kill millions more. This Seismic Event will be like...it will be like god himself punched the ground to remind us who was in charge."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

The room remained unnaturally quiet as images of destruction and suffering played in a constant loop behind me, Fandral looked pale and Sif shifted on her feet. Loki looked at me and I wanted to be very far away from the West Coast, but part of me knew I had to be here.

"This is my fault, if I hadn't brought us here..." I said and I looked up at every one.

"We have to evacuate." Tony said quickly and I looked at him and laughed sardonically.

"Get real Tony, we are talking about millions of people, the freeways will be overwhelmed in hours, mass panic will set in. We could have minutes before this guy decides to rupture the fault, a complete evacuation will take days, and cause a refugee crisis that America has never seen before. Think Hurricane Katrina on a biblical scale." I said and looked at everyone.

"We still have to try, to save a few people if we can." Natasha said and looked at me and I groaned.

"Where do you suggest we start?" She said and I looked at everyone and let out a long breath.

"No," I said firmly. "I am not playing god here, and trying to make me choose is beyond wrong,"

I looked at the map and felt sick to my stomach as I thought about the wholesale death that was coming, and then back at my math on the window.

"This is so wrong, so fucking wrong!" I screamed and used a pulse of energy to shatter the window in frustration. I dropped to my knees and screamed and planted both of my hands on the cold tile floor as I thought and accepted that I was going to have to choose who lived and who died. I stared into the tile under my hands and looked for answers, but I couldn't find any.

"The coast lines, start with them." I choked out, my mind knowing the truth, it was still so many people and evacuation would be still a problem.

Natasha pulled out a cell phone and started dialing while everyone started talking at once, discussing the logistics of the mass exodus. Planning how to save lives and who would be sacrificed in a madman's sick chess game. I looked up at the videos repeating on loop, and thought about all the people who had died in the Japanese Quake. How many lives lost that could have been saved if only someone had the power to stop it from happening, someone who could control the Plate Tectonics that occurred naturally. My eyes went wide and I looked down at my hands, lifting them off the tile and looked at my cupped palms, the voices becoming an annoying din behind me and eventually silence.

I pressed my palms down to the ground and concentrated, placing my whole body close to the tile and listened. I felt a low hum under my fingers that spread up my wrists and looked down at my fingers as the hum grew, but it was not strong enough. I stood up and carefully moved around the broken glass, bolting out the door and through the house toward the pond, out into the rain and my bare feet connected with cold, wet grass.

I felt like I was stepping on nails from the cold rain and I ran across the yard, five sets of heavy shoes following me as I bolted forward. I skidded in the mud near the pond and fell, banging my hip on the ground and crying out, immediately focusing my mind on the Earth under my body and the low hum was stronger. I pushed up to my knees and dug my fingers into the soft soil and I focused again, tuning every part of my body into the ground.

The hum became a powerful melody in my ears, with drums that beat with the sound of my heart. Far away, someone called my name as the grass grew up around my arms. tendrils of vine wrapped around my waist, and I was pulled forward into the Earth until my arms were buried up to my elbows. The progression of life and extinction was whispered in my ears, ancient cities rose and fell and I watched birth and death play out over epochs as my knees sank into the mud my feet covered as I was pulled slowly downward. I allowed it to happen, and I kept focusing, the planet sharing all her secrets with me.

I focused my mind and found the point under the ocean where the fault line built pressure and I gave it the tiniest of pushes to guide it, my arms shaking with the effort, I felt a tiny nudge as rain fell down on me from above. The voices in the background faded into nothing, and I was alone with Cascadia. I saw the kinetic energy building and it was a multitude of colors as I floated under the ocean. The immense pressure of the energy was great, and it threatened to swallow me whole. I felt like it could tear me limb from limb, but it could be controlled.

If I did it properly, I could save millions. If I did it improperly, I could destroy innocent lives that never deserved to be in the way of a monster who wanted me dead.

I tried to stand up, but I was stuck in the mud, buried and I turned my face to look up at the gray sky that I now faced in my melding with the planet. I tried to scream, but the soil filled my mouth and hands pulled my partially submerged body up and I took in a fresh breath of air. My body shook and I laughed as the rain continued to fall onto my face. I pulled my legs up and out of the Earth, my hips freed and I clawed myself up and pushed the arms away as I walked into the pond and let myself fall into the water. Thor yanked me up and I stood shivering from my baptism, in the waist deep water and looked at everyone around me. The mud falling off of my arms and I screamed to the sky.

"The ground swallowed you." Thor said, and I nodded at him as I slogged deeper into the water, and sank below the surface to clean myself off. I rose back up and my clothes hung off of me dripping. I slogged back to the lawn, and a blanket was wrapped around me as I shivered in the grass.

"Are you mad?" Loki said and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me and I laughed.

"I saw it all, I saw everything. I can stop the quake." I said to him and dropped the blanket as the rain continued to soak me.

"I reached into the ground and found it, I found where the fault is stuck. I can stop it and save everyone." I said and he looked at me, I wiped the water out of my eyes and sighed, my heart pounding in my ears as he stood there looking at me.

"You could die." He said and I looked at him.

"Not if I do this right, not if I manage this carefully. I can do it, believe me." I said and he pulled me close to him and guided me back to the house.

I didn't speak as Loki and Sif guided me back into the house, but I began shivering from the cold. They walked me through the door and everyone looked at me, Clint crossing his arms as my teeth began to chatter and I dripped on the floor.

"Long story." I said and wrapped the blanket around me as I stripped off my wet clothes, being careful to make sure I was completely covered as I walked back into the lab where I planted myself in a chair and began typing again at the computers. My mind raced at a million miles an hour and I pulled up all the information I needed as I worked. I printed off several sheets and then sent a map of the world, including all fault lines and volcanoes, to the large banner printer in the corner. Clint walked in as the map finished printing and I spread it out on the table. Loki ghosted in and watched me work as Tony walked in and began studying the ceiling again embarrassment.

"No!" Tony said and we all looked at him, "No erotic science in my lab, find some clothes."

Clint unzipped his hoodie and found me a pair of shorts while I put the hoodie on and let it fall around my thighs. Being short as hell had several benefits, one of which, all men's shirts in extra large looked like a short dress on me. I pulled the blanket off and threw it aside as Clint handed me the shorts, and I pulled them on and tied my hair back and grabbed different colored highlighters from one of the work stations.

I watched numbers and graphs pop up on the computer screen across from me and began working with the highlighters, marking the map and Loki stood over me as I glanced up and marked off another fault line in China.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked as I marked another fault, moving down one of my lists as I compared census reports to the map and other factors I had going in my brain.

"When I was in the yard, I moved the fault." I said and glanced up at everyone, then pointed at the spike on the once again silent seismograph.. "Right now I am coming up with two different plans to bounce off you guys."

"Are you going to let us in on these plans?" Tony asked, and I glanced back at the computer screen as I thought, chewing my lower lip.

"Right now I need a good picture of the Geology of the planet, I need a visual aid. I'm marking everything by color, Volcanoes in Pink, Fault lines near heavily populated areas in blue, and faults near lesser populated areas in yellow." I said and picked up a purple marker and scribbled over parts of Wyoming.

"What was the meaning of that?" Loki asked me and I glanced up at him and grinned.

"That is a Supervolcano, Yellowstone National Park is a giant volcano spread out over hundreds of miles. If I bump that, we will have a massive disaster that may start an extinction level event." I said and Tony groaned.

"Did you have to tell Loki that bit of information?" He said, and Clint eyed me as Natasha walked into the lab.

"Your clothes should be clean and dry in about an hour, what are you working on?" She asked and Tony rolled his eyes.

"I have an idea." I said and continued marking everything I could.

"She just told Loki how to create a massive disaster." Tony said and I glared at him and tapped my bare foot.

"Technically, he is helping to prevent a massive disaster, cut him some slack." I said and returned to marking the map quickly.

"Just tell me you are not going to do anything that will risk your well being." Loki said as I glanced up at him and Tony looked at him a bit freaked out.

"You know, I am still coming to terms that you bumped uglies with her. Stop going all Twilight Zone on me, do something evil." Tony said and I handed Loki the purple marker I had just finished with and he threw it at Tony while rolling his eyes. I looked down at the map and then looked at my calculations on the board and remembered my results from the broken window.

"Technically, he is not the one who invaded my privacy by running an unauthorized background check on me." I said and turned to grab a pencil off another desk, and began scribbling equations on the back of one of my printouts, I scratched my head in thought and Tony looked over my shoulder as I wrote quickly.

"You can do this without a calculator?" Tony asked and I nodded.

"I can do it in my head, but experience teaches me that everyone needs proof." I quipped and I looked at his shocked face. Loki smiled down at me as I stepped back and took in a deep breath, and thought for a minute as I juggled the markers in my hands.

"What is this other purple mark here over this island?" Clint asked and I glanced around the room.

"Cumbre Vieja." I said and sighed. "That is another geologic disaster waiting to happen, I am going to avoid it completely." I said and Tony raised an eyebrow at me in question.

"Google it, I don't have time to explain it right now." I sighed out and continued to look at the map as I compared it to my calculations.

"Fifty-eight, round it up to sixty to be cautious." I said and grabbed a black marker to start picking fault lines.

"Are you going to let the rest of us in on your little plan here?" Clint asked and I tossed the pen into the air, finishing my work.

"An Earthquake is essentially a violent release of stored kinetic energy from a ruptured fault line. I came up with two choices as to how I can save everyone while becoming the ultimate hippie, by stopping this massive release of energy." I said and looked at everyone as they looked down at my map.

"What are your choices?" Loki said and I leaned back against the table behind me.

"Basic laws of energy," I said and sighed. "Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be redirected or transformed into a new form of energy."

I rubbed my face and Tony's mouth fell open in shock as he looked at me.

"You are talking about the Noether Theorem." Tony said and I nodded while giving him a thumbs up.

"No matter what happens, the amount of energy stored in Cascadia right now will have to either be transferred somewhere else, or transformed into a different form of energy. Namely Chemical Energy, but even I have a problem there. I just incidentally create another problem from the original problem." I said and Loki watched me with deep interest as I talked.

"You are, one day going to make the smartest baby ever." Tony said and I blushed and grinned at his joke.

"Just don't make it with him, never with him." Tony added and I rolled my eyes at his joke as Loki glared at him annoyed.

"Can we all get back on track and discuss my reproductive rights later?" I said and everyone nodded at me unison.

"Why will you have a secondary problem?" Loki asked and I sighed and looked around.

"If I create Chemical Energy from the Kinetic Energy, I have the problem of what to do with it. And there is going to be a shit ton of it, to be completely blunt." I sighed and rubbed my eyes, hoping no one would ask me what I planned to do with the secondary form of energy, because I had no freaking idea there.

"How much energy?" Natasha asked and I did the mental math as everyone looked at me.

"Like enough to level California." I said and everyone, Loki included looked down in concern. Thor walked into the lab and looked at the four of us, pausing before continuing over to the table.

"We will aid in evacuations of the mortals from the coast." He said and I giggled silently as Loki sighed.

"It may not be necessary Thor," Loki said. "Continue Little Mouse, what are the two options you have thought of?"

"Option one is riskier that option two. Both works, and there will be minimal damage to anything." I sighed and thought about how to present them both. "Option one is super risky. as in, if I pass out from the strain, Cascadia could rupture uncontrolled and still cause a massive amount of damage and people could die."

I opened my hands and everyone looked at me wide eyed as I stood up and put my hands on the map.

"I trigger a series of smaller earthquakes in Cascadia from the source of the energy build up. Small quakes over several hours could help the fault line along, and return the normal balance to it." I looked up at everyone and they regarded me quietly, and I widened my eyes as I pressed my lips together.

"That sounds dangerous and possible, what is the other option?" Natasha asked and I looked at her.

"I use my body as a conductor for the stress on the fault and send the built up energy to sixty fault lines around the planet, triggering 3.0 or less magnitude earthquakes, no damage other than a few people loose a bit of sleep when something falls off their shelves in the middle of the night. I give Cascadia a little push afterwards, and it goes back into its Slow Slip Event. Everyone lives, and I come out with one hell of a caffeine rush, like I can't sleep for a week caffeine rush. In which point, I am going to need a Playstation, and a Netflix account to keep myself entertained." I said and everyone nodded at me, Loki smiled at me approvingly.

"Have you already planned which faults?" Tony asked and I pointed at the map, everyone bowing their heads over it and looking at my work.

"Sixty, with eight as a backup plan. Nothing near heavily populated centers, and nothing that could trigger a secondary event." I said and crossed my arms proudly, Thor squinted down at the map and tapped the marked lines, counting them out.

"And you are sure you can do this?" Clint asked and I nodded and smiled.

"I can, it will be tricky too." I said and shrugged. "I am not one hundred percent looking forward to becoming a human semi conductor, but it is probably the only option we have to save millions of lives."

Loki smiled at me from across the table, and Tony looked down at the map as everyone thought carefully, jerking his head back in surprise as he realized I was right.

"Smartest baby ever." Tony said and I laughed, Loki smirked at me from across the table and I blushed at him.

"Are you with child?" Thor asked and I rolled my eyes, groaning.

"No Thor," I said and he looked a bit relieved. "Weird compliment from Tony, you missed that one by a mile."

"I pity Asgard when you take the throne." Loki said and glanced up at Thor from the map. Thor glared back at Loki angrily and I sighed.

"You two really need to knock this shit off and make an effort to get along." I said pointing at them both and Tony laughed at the ceiling.

"Seriously, we need everyone in on this. If that guy is there, he is going to do everything he can to try and stop me, even kill me. I don't really want anything to go wrong because I am going to be fighting for my life while restarting the fault. I really don't need to be distracetd." I said and crossed my arms, looking at the two men as my stomach rumbled at me, protesting my not eating since this morning. Everyone looked at me, and I looked around the room.

"I say Option Two, if this is a democracy," Clint said and everyone muttered their agreement to me.

"What if something goes wrong with the plan?" Tony asked and I sighed, and looked at him as I leaned back against the table behind me again.

"Lets just hope nothing goes wrong." I said and looked at everyone and smiled sadly.

"When should we leave?" Clint asked me and I looked at the group, my eyes glancing up at the silent live feed of the Cascadia Seismograph, and I looked back down and bit my lower lip as I thought.

"There is not telling when that fault could rupture, or when our friend will get bored and rupture it himself. How fast can we get to Astoria Oregon?" I asked, pointing to the coastal city on the map.

"An hour at the most," Natasha said and she began making another call on her cell phone.

"We will need the beaches cleared. It may be fall, but we will have some tourists, day trippers, or even locals out for a walk. We can't have them getting in the way, someone will get hurt or killed if we have to fight the big bad." I said and Thor crossed his arms over his massive chest.

"The warriors and I will manage the task of moving of people away from danger." He said and I nodded and looked at everyone as I glanced around. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at Thor's statement.

"What about you?" Clint asked and I looked at everyone else and frowned in thought.

"Wanna play bodyguards? I will be most vulnerable when I am actually doing what I have to, he will try to take his shot then." I said and was met with nods.

"If we fail?" Loki asked, and I looked at him.

"You won't." I said and looked around at everyone. "Shouldn't we be moving like we have a purpose?"

"Someone just got bossy." Tony said as he walked toward the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki looked down at the map and tried to hide his annoyance at the men in the room, their constant stares at her legs, and the glances at her body was becoming irritating. But she worked so fast in her own world, she did not notice how they looked at her. She stood back from the group as her bare feet crossed as she leaned against the table behind her, she looked around at all the men around her and sighed Realizing that she had very few clothes on and she crossed her arms over her chest in self consciousness, she blushed and her eyes widened, swallowing hard.

"Maybe I should look for some more clothes." She said and Thor glanced at her his eyes looking at her legs for a moment too long before he turned his head away politely. Tony stared at her openly and she blushed again as he winked.

Loki managed to suppress a growl, but glared at the men for looking at her in such a low manner.

"Come on girl, I think your clothes are clean and dry. If not, I am sure I can find you something." Natasha said and the two of them walked out of the lab together.

"Smartest and most beautiful babies ever, can I please have that hoodie Clint?" Stark said and Loki glared openly at him, Clint mouthed the word "No."

"Calm down, I did not offer to be the father Reindeer Games."

"She is more than her appearance." Loki said and picked up the map. "Would you mind not being lecherous?"

Loki studied her calculations and noted how her handwriting scrawled out in neat, graceful swirls showing a mind that was organized and precise, he looked back down at the map smoothing it over the table again.

"You know, this plan is brilliant." Stark said, ignoring Loki's statement and fidgeting with a ball in his hands. "Is she really only twenty?"

Loki looked up at Thor who came over to look down at the map and put his fingertips on the paper and frowned as he looked.

"What are these mountains circled in pink?" Thor asked and tapped one with his index and middle finger.

"Volcanoes, looks like she is avoiding fault lines near them to prevent accidentally triggering an eruption." Stark said and looked down at the map, lifting it and looking at her calculations.

"Clever." Thor said. "Her strategy is well thought out."

"Beyond clever, are you really guys really sure she is only twenty?" Stark asked Loki and he nodded at him. "God her brain is brilliant, she did this all in her head."

"Brilliant or not, she pulls this off, she will save millions of lives." Clint said and Tony turned around to look at both Thor and Loki.

"And is she looses control, she can accidentally kill thousands." Stark said. "Taking her back off Earth will put my mind at ease until she gets a handle on her abilities. And it will give us time to figure out what she is exactly, I am not convinced she is entirely human."

Loki felt his anger rise inside him at the statement uttered by Stark, he clenched a fist and tried not to think about what her reaction to her failure causing so much death would be. Self defense in battle was one matter, but being the accidental cause of wholesale slaughter could be devastating to her, she could never be told in that case, she would never mentally survive anything so awful to her fragile mind, he feared she would seek her own demise if it should happen.

Loki looked at everyone in the room, studying each man as they stood about. Clint staring at the screen with the device used to measure plate movements. A clever device created to study and someday protect lives, but an awful and terrible one now.

"She is stronger than you all believe her to be, does it truly matter what her race is?" Loki said and looked back at the map. "Perhaps we should have faith in her, and put aside pettiness."

"God today just got weirder." Stark said and looked at him, turning to Natasha as she returned. She glanced around the room and saw all the men standing around and sighed.

"We found her some clothes boys. She is getting dressed, I am going to go warm up the jet." She said and turned to leave.

"Twenty minutes." She said over he shoulder as she walked, and Stark sighed.

"I guess we suit up then," Stark said. "Thor, does the Viking Raid Party out there get airsick by chance?"

Thor crossed his arms and looked at Stark annoyed, Loki knew that he was angry his warriors were just insulted and chuckled to himself.

"I really don't know what we are going to be shooting." Clint said as he started walking out the door. "You cant really punch or make a target out of an earthquake."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I watched the coastline disappear under the jet through the windshield as we flew toward Astoria, I stood over Natasha's shoulder scanning the horizon with my mind as the Asgardians in the back shuffled about and got ready to do their part. I hit the back of her seat in frustration as I tried harder to reach out with my mind into the Earth, and received too much interference in return.

"I can't feel anything up here." I said finally and sighed. "There is too much interference from the engines around me."

Tony dug into a bin and walked up behind me in his suit with the visor up, handing me a harness, I slipped it onto my shoulders and Clint moved Sif to get a bundle of rope from another compartment.

"We will open the the hatch, you stand in the entrance and see if that helps you." Tony said as Clint secured the rope along the roof of the jet, sliding one end through a caribiner between my shoulder blades, and feeding the end back along the roof again. Tying it off and I nodded at them nervously. Loki looked at me worried, and I tugged the rope to show him I should be fine if I slipped.

"We are passing over the mouth of the Columbia River, you better do something fast!" Natasha yelled back to us as Clint opened the ramp in the back and I carefully walked down it toward open air. Focusing myself and still not able to pick up anything, the wind whipped around me and rain splattered against my face as I carefully put my hand out. I motioned to Clint for more slack and Thor stood behind me to relay any messages back over the howling wind. I carefully put my toes over the edge and I looked down into the churning, gray water of the Pacific Ocean as it blew past. I put my hand out onto the side of the jet and allowed myself to lean my body over and focused again.

I could feel the waves and hear their song in my ears, a melody achingly beautiful as the ebb and flow of the tide pushed toward the land. I could feel the marine life as I hung over the space, and I could see their fear at the sensed stress below them. I stretched myself down under the waves and felt the Tectonic Plates and felt their stress like a pressure building in my temples, and I turned to shout back to Natasha.

"Slow down, we are close!" I shouted back and Thor relayed the message to Natasha. I held my arms up and let myself lean forward more, and could see the beginnings of the straining energy below me in the form of a aurora around the jet. Shimmering colors of light appeared in my vision, and turned from gold to green, to a deep purple as we moved closer to the stress point. I let myself watch the colors and slipped down to the plate boundaries, seeing the place under the water where terrible forces worked tirelessly to create and destroy. I closed my eyes and tried to redirect the energy, but in the jet I was too high, and I had to be in the sand itself.

Engines strained suddenly as I held my arms up and the jet jerked to the side violently. My balance lost, I fell out of the rear of the jet for six feet and came to a sudden stop that I swear dislocated several parts of my spine, but felt someone pulling me back as the jet spun out of control over me.

I screamed as my body was thrown and swung out in a dizzying spin as the jet threatened to crash into the waves, I reached up and grabbed the rope as I looked over and saw the exact point the stress was built up. I looked out over the ocean, and I could see the energy flowing over the water like fire, mingling with the waves that crashed below me on the shore. The pressure was horrible as I sensed it, two masses straining and pushing against each other. It felt like the inside of my head was being crushed in it and I cried out in pain as I tried to pull myself up into the jet.

The Jet jolted again above me, and a caribiner above me gave up the fight and snapped. I fell toward the ocean and screamed as I came to another stop like a puppet on the end of a string but I did not stop there. The harness loop between my shoulders tore free, and I continued my free fall toward the ocean, jumping inches from the surface and appeared in a heap on the sandy beach.

I landed face down in the sand and groaned as I sat up and spit the grit out of my mouth, and coughed in surprise.

Me heap big immortal.

I wiped my face on my hands quickly and looked up at the black eyed man as the jet careened dangerously close to the ocean. I rolled away from him and scrambled to my feet, using my power to urge the turbines in the jet to start again and sighed in relief as Natasha got control over the craft and landed it safely in the sand.

"I could feel this was all you." I said and looked at the man. Backing down the beach as he approached me and he stopped and tilted his head, emotionless as he looked on.

"Only a freaking idiot would threaten millions while I was still alive, so what do you want?" I asked him and shrugged out of the shoulder harness and clenched my fists as I looked into his soulless eyes. I threw the harness aside and pulled the new rapid release knife out of my back pocket and opened it with a flick of my wrist.

"You power," He said and I laughed at him. "And your soul."

I laughed harder and he cocked his head to the side slightly, gauging my reaction. The jet landed and everyone in was running toward us and he ignored the shouts and cries from behind him as everyone spread out along the beach. Tony streaked over our heads, and I held the knife tighter in my hand. I grinned at him and planted my feet in a combat ready stance, one foot slightly offset from the other and I watched him straighten his head and put a hand behind his back.

"Lets dance." I said and put one of my hands behind my back, forming a ball of energy and grinned at him as we began to circle each other.

He moved impossibly fast.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

For the record, getting stabbed in the shoulder with a knife hurts.

It hurts a lot.

I ran forward in the sand hoping to catch him off guard, and it backfired in my face on an epic level. I threw out the ball of energy, and he feinted to the left before it hit him, and he slammed into me. Twisting my arm around, I dropped my knife and scrambled back as he picked up the five inch piece of steel and chrome smoothly. I formed another ball in my hand, and the next thing I knew I was laying on my back in the sand, with my shoulder on fire.

The ball of energy dissipated and I put my hand up to pull the knife out of my shoulder, and I found it slick with my own blood.

Tony let out a pulse at him, knocking him off his feet briefly as I found my knees and sat up and pulled on the handle as hard as I could. Yanking the slippery knife out of me, it released and I tried not to throw up or pass out. I screamed and stood back up and charged at him as he faced off against Thor, he used a pulse of energy to knock him back into the sand as Tony hovered above me. I dove to the side as Mjlonir crashed into the sand next to me, spraying me with beach.

"Go clear the beach!" I yelled up at Tony as I saw people starting to gather around and watch the spectacle. He flew off down the shore, Sif and Fandral giving chase after him toward the curious people.

My shoulder screamed agony as it healed and I gathered up my power and threw it out with my good arm and he staggered back as Loki pulled two knives from his sides and I motioned him back. But he continued to walk forward with anger on his face, I favored my injured shoulder and threw out more energy as the man turned.

I could feel the tendons and muscle in my shoulder begin to heal, reforming as I walked forward with the knife in my good hand, but it was not healing fast enough. I stepped forward again before the man could turn and advance on Loki to attack him, as another knife hit him in the leg and I smiled at Loki who had thrown it. I tossed out another ball of fire and caught him in the shoulder, and he brushed it away casually.

This guy was not going to go down easy.

He sneered at Loki in anger and turned on me as he pulled the knife out of his leg and looked at me. His face returned to that emotionless state and I stopped in my tracks, quickly throwing out a pulse that hit him center mass and he staggered back again in the sand. I ran forward and hit him again with another burst of energy and swung around with a punch that threw him off balance, but he recovered quickly and grabbed my arm and swung me around to lift me off the ground by the neck one handed.

My windpipe closed and I gasped for breath, I dropped my knife and wrapped my hands around his wrist as I kicked out at him and squirmed as he held me. He turned the knife from his leg in his hand and drove it into my chest just under my right breast, and I felt the lung collapse as steel worked in between two of my ribs. What little breath I had from the crushing fist on my neck was knocked out of me, and my eyes went wide in pain and I couldn't find any air to pull in and scream out as the agony tore through me. Someone far away screamed for me, and the man dropped me into the sand as I bled and tears of pain rolled down my face.

"Surrender your power and soul, I can end your pain Lilliana." He said as he twisted the handle of the knife in my chest, making me cry out as blood filled my mouth, choking me. He used a pulse to throw Loki back as I saw him appear behind the man with another knife, intending to bury it in between his shoulders. I mentally cried out for Loki, and gasped for whatever air I could find and tasted blood.

"Surrender to me, and I may let your friends live." He said and his face remained expressionless as he gripped the knife and pulled it out of my chest, I could feel it scrape my ribs and I screamed as I saw my blood flip into the air form the blade like glittering rubies. My breath hitched and I forced my other lung to fill and gasped again as I tried again to fill my chest with air, I opened my mouth and heard the air that I pulled in escape through the hole in my chest.

"Go to hell." I said and spit a mouthful of blood into his face.

He blinked at me and grew dead calm as he wiped his face on his sleeve and put one thumb under my eye and slowly extended the lower lid down. I shook in pain and watched him as he tilted his head as he studied me moving the knife over my head and placing it on my cheek and drawing the blade over it slowly as he left a ragged cut before stopping to hover the blade over my eye, I dug my hand into the sand and picked up a handful of the beach. I swung it up and into his face, fighting for my life I moved fast and tried my hardest to win.

He turned his head to protect his eyes from the grit that flew through the air at him, the second he was distracted was more than enough time to grab his knife wrist and pivot myself around until I heard the bones in the joint pop and snap under my momentum.

"Two can play this game you son of a bitch." I said and took control of the knife, driving it into his heart with all my anger behind it, giving it a twist to make sure he stayed down permanently.

I fell back into the sand and took long, deep breaths as my lung inflated again and healed in my chest. I coughed the blood out of my newly healed lung and rolled onto my back, my hands working and I cried, staring at the sky and saw a seagull glide over me and I shook in shock and listened to my heart pound away. My shirt wet with blood and stuck to my stomach as a pale face with black hair appeared over my head, he looked down at me and lifted my head carefully and smoothed my hair as I gasped air and continued fighting the urge to vomit.

"Little Mouse?" Loki said and looked down at me and lifted my head to rest it in his lap as I took in long breaths, savoring each gasp.

"I'm a mess." I said as he looked down at me and took both of my hands in his, using my shoulders to pull me close to him and cradling me as I sobbed and cried as everything hurt inside me, part of me trying not to fracture worse than it already had.

"I had not noticed." He said and touched my face and wrapped his arm around me as I shook against him in the sand.

"It is over, you are safe." He said to me and I put my arm up around his neck and swallowed hard and shook more as he ran his hand over my hair and toyed with my braid.

"Take me home." I said and he put both his arms around me and I cried and looked back at the body in the sand, Loki turned my head away and covered my eyes.

"Don't look at it." He whispered and I looked over his shoulder to see Clint walking up to us and he looked at me.

"Not to break up a touching moment." Clint said as he walked up and pointed at the dead man. "Who the hell was that?"

Loki helped me get to my feet, and I groaned painfully as my legs agreed to work bit by tiny bit. I used Loki for support and we walked with Clint over to Thor.

"He stole all my Halloween Candy, I took it personally." I said and limped down the beach to The Norse God of Inconvenient Naps as he sat up and shook his head, looking dazed as he saw me.

"You are wounded Lady." Thor said looking at the blood on me, and I elbowed Loki in the ribs before he could say anything rude, laughing a bit and wincing in pain as I looked down at him.

"Well, I have had wor..." My voice cut off suddenly as a pain erupted in my lower back, a knife was shoved into it and severed my spine just above the waistband of my jeans. My legs instantly became useless and I felt a hand close around the back of my neck as the man pulled me away from Loki and I screamed. My legs drug uselessly in the sand and I looked in horror at them as he threw me down into the sand and pulled the knife out of my back. He turned and used a pulse of energy to throw everyone back as I dug my hands into the loose grit and tried to claw myself away from him in blind, helpless fear. He knelt over me as I pushed backwards in shock, and cried out in terror at my slow progress, he looked at me calmly and I shivered in fear as I lay back.

"Give me your power and soul." He growled and stepped over me and lifted me again, throwing me one handed into the jet where my body collided with the hull, snapping my head back and the wind was knocked out of me.

"Your suffering can end, just surrender your life." He said calmly as he grabbed my useless leg and threw me by swinging me around using it down the beach, where I landed in the sand face down. I cried out as he walked over to me with the knife in one hand and flipped me over as I cried out again in fear and frustration. I fought to make my legs work, and tears trailed down my cheeks as I looked up into the face of my death.

"I can make it all end Lilliana. I can take it all away, just give up." He said as he straddled me and I shook my head back and forth violently. He stretched my hand out calmly, his hand locked over my wrist and pressed the tip of the knife against the bend of my arm at the elbow and pushed down into the joint with the blade. I screamed in pain and thrashed with my good arm, my other one rendered useless as he pulled the knife from the ruined joint and shoved his thumb into the wound and I screamed again. White hot agony traveling on nerve endings to my brain as the world started fading gray from the overload of pain.

"No!" I screamed at him, shaking my head and laying my head back into the sand and shivering as my heart pounded in my chest from blood loss.

"NO! I will not give it to you!" I shouted and he looked down at me as I gasped for air and he studied me the way a spider would look at a fly caught in its web.

"You will heal, and I will cut you again." He said and I glared at him, defiant in my pain. He used energy to throw everyone back again, and I cried out in pain and fear.

"I will not give in to you." I said and he drove the knife into my side and I screamed, but I refused to give in to him. I refused to be scared anymore and dug my good arm into the sand, wriggling my fingers down into it to get a good handful when I saw the hairs on my arms stand up.

I smiled up at him as the electrical charge built up all over my body and he pulled the knife out of my side as the kinetic energy from Cascadia surged into me. Not realizing what I was doing, he put the tip of the knife over my heart and I smiled up at him as he made a small cut in my shirt, toying with me.

"All you have to do is surrender." He said and I laughed as the energy built up and my heart started racing, kicking into overdrive and pounding a mile a minute as if someone had shifted gears in my body.

"What are you doing?" He said as I reached up with my good hand and tiny bolts of lightening began to surge from my body and over the beach, the arcs dancing from my body and between the grains of sand around us as I laughed harder. He may have crippled me, but I was not completely helpless. I wrapped my fingers around the handle of the knife and pushed it down into my skin over my heart and I looked up at him and laughed. I felt my sternum scrape the steel blade and grinned at him like I had lost my mind completely.

"What are you doing girl?" He asked me again and the energy continued to surge through my body, my heart beat in half second intervals and my spine slipped back into place and the rest of the wounds began to heal. The sand turned to glass under me from the heat and pressure of the energy conversion occurring in my body. Small rocks lifted off the ground and hovered in the air as I laughed harder and I pulled in more energy and my skin turned hot to the touch as I burned him with my hand.

"You want power?" I said to him and he tried to pull back, I heard screaming from the beach and my now healed other arm came up and I locked my hand over my other one on the knife and I let go of a surge and the knife melted and vaporized between us. His hand burning as he screamed and it burned away from his body, leaving a stump.

He looked dumbly as his missing hand and I pulled more energy from the fault into me, taking it all into my core and starting Cascade back on its natural course. I Reached out and grabbed a fistful of his clothes as my body lifted up off the ground dragging him with me, the screaming voice in the background fading in the echo of the power that surged in and around me.

"You will destroy yourself." He warned and I looked down at him and saw pure fear in his eyes and I felt my hair lift around my head in a halo of darkness. My skin burned as I was engulfed in hot, blue fire as it trickled around the both of us and flowed over us as we were lifted higher off the ground, and I let the fire take him as the power surged in and around me.

"Do you know the last thing stars do as they die?" I asked him and he looked into my eyes as he shook and burned, I tightened my grip and pulled him close into my chest and I wrapped my arm around his neck and put my mouth close to hie ear, my back to the ocean.

"They explode in a supernova. Enjoy your power motherfucker." I said and let all the power go as the second half of the soul flowed into me. The power shot out in a white hot light, and I was thrown back as he was vaporized instantly. His face immolating and melting away as I was thrown back toward the ocean, the last thing I remember before my eyes closed and I welcomed the darkness, was the ice cold water against my bare skin and the gentle rocking of the tide as I sank below the waves and floated into oblivion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the USGS office, Eric Williams cheered at the needle on the seismograph twitched and he threw his head back in triumph seeing the geologic abnormality come to an end.

He thanked whatever god was listening, and cried into his hands as he dialed Terry on his cell to tell her to come home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki scanned the waves for any sign of Lilliana and found her floating on her back instantly, Thor and he splashed into the salty water as he pulled his coat off and covered her nude body in the garment as he lifted her. Clint rushed out from the jet with a med kit and she was laid back into the sand, her eyes open, glazed in death with her pupils staring into the sky and into eternity. Loki looked down in horror as the lifeless girl in his arms as he screamed soundlessly and smoothed her hair back from her face as a blanket was brought to cover her legs. Her body was pulled away from him by someone and he looked on as three people began trying to bring life back into her.

Clint pulled a device out of a bag and held it in his hands and he pressed the pads to her naked chest and he pressed buttons on the handles as she lay in the sand. Her body jerked up and her back arched as he shouted for someone to put a mask over her face and start breathing for her. He filled a syringe with liquid and Loki watched as everyone fought to save her life. Clint injected her arm with the fluid and dropped it to use the paddles again, and Loki watched as she remained so horribly still.

Seconds turned into minutes, and she continued to lay so still.

"Live." He said and his voice sounded far away as three people kept working on her and stopped, tears forming in their eyes as they shook their heads and pulled the jacket closed around her body. Her hands were pale and turning white from the lack of blood flow. Thor reached out and closed her eyes gently as Loki sat back and tried not to scream as she she lay perfectly still, the blanket was pulled over her head, covering her face and Sif wept into her hands.

"She will be welcomed in Valhalla with open arms." Thor said and fell back into the sand, tears ringing his eyes as he looked at the group.

Everyone looked at Loki, and he sat quietly and ran his hands into his own hair and he rocked back and forth. Thor clapped an arm on his shoulder and he looked at him and back at the white sheet that concealed her body.

A sleeping girl, not dead, just sleeping.

"No." he said and his voice was thick in his throat as he looked at the blanket that rippled in the offshore breeze. The memory of her on another beach laughing, eating a candy bar and licking her lips as she chewed. Another one of her smiling and pushing a strand of hair behind her ear surfaced, and the memory of her in the emerald gown as she blushed at him. A dance that should have been his, a soft smile, her fingers on parchment. Another flooded in of their conversation on the rocks, and the way she looked after he lay with her on the bed. Her head bending to look into the eyepiece of the telescope, a warm light on her face, the way she smiled at him with sad eyes. Her warn touch, a girl lost in echoes of time. He pushed out of the sand and pulled the blanket away from her face as he put his hands on her chin and forehead.

"No." He said again and lifted her by her shoulders, and his rage built in him.

"Live damn you, open your eyes and live." He said to her and shook her shoulders and everyone looked at him as he pointed at the device that Clint used to try and restart her heart.

"Do it again!" He screamed and Clint took the pads and put them on her chest, he pressed them down as Loki watched, he pressed the buttons and her body jerked up and relaxed again.

"Again!" He screamed as Sif sobbed in the background, Clint shook his head and looked at him.

"She is gone Loki." Clint protested as Stark looked at him sadly, Fandral and Volstagg lowered their swords to pray over her body, and Loki screamed and he looked at Clint.

"Do it again!" He shouted and Clint worked with the paddles and she jerked up and lay still again.

"You listen to me girl, you are not to leave. You are to fight this and come back, you are stubborn, and you will not die on me. You said the universe loves a stubborn heart! Show the damned universe how stubborn yours is!" he screamed at her and shouted down into her face. "You are not to give in and you are not to give up!"

"Now open your eyes and fight!" He screamed down and repeated for her to fight again, his hand slapping her face with each shouted word, rocking it back and forth and he pointed at Clint and ordered him to use the device again. Clint pushed him back and off of her as he pressed the pads to her chest and gave her another shock and he blinked.

"Again! Do it!" He ordered and Clint pressed the paddles to her chest and pressed the buttons again and her eyelids fluttered suddenly.

Everyone looked down in shock as she fought for her breath, her heart started in her chest and she moved in a mechanical way. Loki watched her and lifted her head as she coughed up ocean water to her side and gasped for breath.

"Yes, that is it Little Mouse, breathe." He said and pulled her into his lap as tears traced down his face and she gasped for air, cradling the girl close to him as Fandral and Volstagg laughed and Sif cried out in happiness. Her small hand peeked around the sleeve of his coat, and she took in deep, hitching breaths as she gasped against him. The sand fell from her hair and she groaned as her shaky arms flexed against him. Her legs kicked out as muscles contracted and she folded her legs up against his side as she shivered. Life found her and settled into her body as everyone watched, her limbs slowly came under control and her hands clawed at his armor, finding something substantial to hold onto and she gasped air deeply as her brain began to find more control over her disjointed fingers and limbs.

Her face looked up into his, and the blue that ringed her eyes faded as oxygenated blood began circulating through her, she sighed, her head falling back as her eyes closed and she made a small sound that caused him to fear her slipping away again. He gave her a gentle shake as a hand fell onto his shoulder, and he cradled the back of her head and lifted it gently and looked down at her.

"No, stay awake, look at me." He said and her fingers found his face and she touched the tears on his cheeks.

"I didn't know Gods could cry." She said and shivered, her eyelids fluttered a bit as she slipped and he gave her a small shake again to keep her with him.

"We can, should the occasion call for it." He said to her and she looked back up at him and gasped in pain as she coughed and he lifted her head again to help her breathe.

"Is he dead?" She asked in in a small weak voice and he nodded as he looked up at the sky.

"Yes, he is gone, he can't hurt you. I promise." He said to her as the waves crashed on the beach behind them.

"Take me home." She said and sighed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up and my eyes opened, everything was way too bright, I heard a distant beep and realized I was in a hospital bed. It turned my head softly and I felt a hand on mine, thumb traced back and forth and I looked down at Loki and sighed seeing him.

"Hello." He said and he kissed the back of my hand.

"Hi." I said and he watched me quietly for a long time.

"How do you feel?" I smiled at him as my eyes felt so very heavy and sighed.

"Safe." I replied and drifted back to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When I woke again, the room was dim, and the only other person there was Natasha. I shifted my weight and she looked up from the tablet she was looking at and smiled at me.

"You are awake." She said and set her tablet down and stood up and picked up a cup of water with a straw in it and carefully guided the straw between my dry lips. I drank from it, filling my mouth with the water and coughed a bit and she wiped my chin and I brushed her hand away gently.

"How long?" I asked her and she looked away sadly.

"Four days." She said and I let it slowly sink in, it was completely understandable though, I used a lot of energy up in that one shot.

"You died, and we were able to bring you back." She said softly and I looked at her in fear and shock.

"What?" I said and gasped at her, not completely believing what I had just heard and sat up. She pushed me back, adjusting the pillow behind my head and I looked at her.

"Calm down, you need to stay calm. Are you going to be O.K?" She asked me and I nodded at her quietly, she put a hand on my shoulder and I sighed and trembled a bit.

"My heart stopped and everything?" I said and she nodded at me and I turned onto my side, and she pushed me back gently.

"You came back because someone refused to give up." She said, and I looked at her, and blinked knowing who she talked about.

"Where is he?" I asked her and looked around the room scared, and she sat down on the stool next to my bed and picked up a phone. She pressed a button and I heard it ring over the earpiece as it went dead again immediately.

"I can only imagine who that was." I said and smiled at her weakly.

"The only way we could get him to go to sleep every now and then was to promise to call him as soon as you woke up." She said and I laughed a bit as she looked at the door expectantly. I continued to laugh harder as someone walked into the inner glass doors and ricocheted off them, falling back and steadying themselves.

"Wasn't that a scene in Jurassic Park?" I asked Natasha and she laughed at the joke. On the other side of the door, Loki collected himself and pressed the access button to allow himself entry and ghosted into the room.

"On a graceful scale of one to ten, that was a Bigfoot in a China Shop." I said as he walked in and stood at the foot of the bed, looking at me coolly. Natasha stood up and patted my shoulder as she went to leave the room and I looked up at her gratefully.

"I am now off duty," she said as she left. "My turn to get some sleep, and it is good to see your sense of humor survived with the rest of you."

I groaned and put my hands up to my face as Natasha left and he continued to stare down at me as I lay helpless, afraid that I had dreamed of the man holding my hand and stroked it gently. He glided around and sat in Natasha's vacant stool, his coat flared out around him as he sat, I looked at him and smiled weakly.

"Going to yell at me?" I asked and he smiled down at me as he brushed some hair away from my face with a long finger, looking at me and tracing his fingers down my cheek. I tried to take his hand, but he pulled away, and nodded down at the bandage over the back of my hand. My fears melted away and I looked at him as he sat quietly and smiled back at him.

"I don't want to hurt you, you have a tube keeping you hydrated inserted there." He said and reached across my stomach for my other hand, and rubbed the back of it with his thumb gently.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked and he laughed to himself as he continued to rest his hand on my cheek his fingers drifting up to smooth my hair as he sat and looked at me.

"Asgard, they left two days ago to sing your praises and bravery to Odin. You will most likely be celebrated on your return." He said softly.

"I am going to have to set the record straight then." I said and Loki looked at me confused and took a breath.

"I have to give you the credit due to you. If you had not fought for me, I would have died. And everything you taught me, kept me alive. Without you, I would never have gotten through the last few days, and millions would have died." I said and he smiled at me, chuckling to himself and kissed my forehead.

"You give me too much credit." He said and I rolled my eyes at him and sat up.

"You deserve it, take the credit you are owed." I said and he pushed me back gently, he pulled the blanket up over me and smoothed it over my lap. He smiled down at me and shook his head as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Stubborn girl." He chided gently and smiled at me again.

"The best kind of girl." I said and pulled him toward me over the safety rail and scooted across the bed to give him room.

"What are you doing, don't strain yourself." He protested as I settled in around him and snuggled under his arm grinning up at him from his shoulder. He sighed and put his arm around me gently and I sighed into his coat and closed my eyes.

"I'm feeling safe." I said and he laughed at me as I dozed again in his arms.


	21. Epilogue

Epilogue:

The dark haired couple walked across the marble floors of the Louvre and up the stairs, the girl in her purple floral print dress smiled back at her more intense looking escort as she pulled him along by his hand. Her excitement was evident in her smile as they walked from one room to another. She turned in front of him and her skirt flared slightly, her violet eyes sparkling as she giggled.

She wore a denim jacket over the long sleeved dress and her flat shoes sported gold buckles over her toes and she turned and looked at all the art around her, admiring everything with wonder until they came to the exhibit featuring Van Gogh. She turned as the man watched her mouth fall open in excitement and she giggled and bounced on her toes as she ran, pulling him to her favorite painting and stood before Starry Night.

He put and arm around her as she admired the play of color over the canvas, and he looked down at her and smiled with her. Her eyes shimmered with a silvery glow that swirled like a galaxy that faded as she blinked, her violet eyes taking their normal hue once again.

"I do like this one." He said to her, and she smiled back up at him.

"I love the colors." She replied. "He took all his pain and suffering and turned it into beauty for all to see, he created life where there was none, and gave his soul to us all to see and touch."

"I am glad you brought me here." He said and pressed he lips to the top of her head as she leaned into him, a few couples looking at the fashionable couple and admired their style. She looked up at him and kissed his lips and he smiled back down at her as she pulled him over to look at Sunflowers. They stood before the painting and moved slowly around the room, admiring each work as if it were something greater than themselves. They returned again to Starry Night and she put her arms around his waist as he rested his hand on her back, his black wool coat and polished shoes making him stand out among the other tourists, but he did not seem to care.

People passed within feet of them, but never looked twice at the man and woman who stood apart form them. An elderly couple glanced over at them when she giggled again and smiled at the nice young couple admiring the paintings, and passed on into their own lives.

The girl turned and laughed at seeing the paintings, and the man looked at her amused as she looked down at her guidebook.

"What wonder do you want to see next?" He asked her and she smiled up at him and put her arms around his waist and she looked at the paintings and smiled.

"Where do you want to go?" She asked him and he laughed.

"How about that sunny beach, with colorful drinks with little umbrellas, where the ocean is the same color as the sky?" He asked and she giggled a bit and sucked on her lower lip in thought.

"How about we just go home?" She suggested and he nodded in agreement.

"That can be done." he said and she laughed into his chest, as they admired Starry Night again as they sat on a padded bench together.

"I really do like this one." The man said and she smiled up at him and sighed.

"I thought you would." she replied as he draped his arm over her, she rested her head on his shoulder and he looked down at her as a man walked past and admired her.

"How do you feel?" She asked her companion as they sat and looked at the painting.

"Alive." He said and smiled.


End file.
